Under The Wings
by RayRox360
Summary: Who knew Batman could make things so complicated? Danny sure didn't. Six years after escaping the GIW, the fourteen year old barely scrapes by. So, how will the Dark Knight react when he comes across a teen who seems to hide all his fear in thick layers of snark and sarcasm? And why does he remind him of a certain white-haired, green-eyed ghost that won't leave him alone?
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

**Chapter 1: Prologue**

 _SMASH._

Danny winced as the shards of glass clattered to the floor, the last drops of beer that had once been contained inside pooling onto the floor. The seven-year old wrapped his arms around his stuffed bear as he shut his eyes, a small whimper escaping from his lips.

"Shut up, ya' little piece of shit, before I come over there an' make you!" The voice boomed, Jack throwing a glare at the child. Even though they were clouded by alcohol, Danny could make out the rage and hatred that he now saw daily in his father's eyes.

But all that was forgotten as the man's threat sank into Danny's gut. He quickly shut his mouth and scooted underneath the kitchen table. Beer bottles chucked at your head were bad, but it was worse to think about what Jack would do if he was motivated enough. The child's back still stung from yesterday.

Thankfully, his father quickly lost interest in him as he turned his attention back to the TV in front of him, the images flickering with every passing second. Danny let out a small sigh and curled his arms around his knees, grimacing as his stomach released a growl of annoyance. He held his breath as he waited to see if his father had heard, only to breathe in relief as he watched the man's eyes stay locked on the TV.

He lowered his gaze and gripped the old bear tighter. The dark brown fur was matted and dirty, loose strings hanging from different corners and limbs, shining glass eyes forever staring at nothing. A loud tapping made Danny turn his head towards the window above the kitchen sink. The wind outside made the branches of the nearby trees sway and creak. Danny flinched as they tapped against the window, scratching and clawing for a way inside, like rabid animals searching for their next meal.

He shut his eyes as he tried to block out the noise. Tilting his head to the side, Danny's gaze landed on the rest of the dark kitchen around him. The stove that had lain dormant for years; the microwave that was barely strong enough to defrost TV dinners; the fridge that only ever housed empty shelves; the cockroaches that would occasionally scurry across the tiles before disappearing back underneath the floors.

As he stared out at the dark room, he watched as the shadows were replaced by bright lights, warm scents and the sound of muffled laughter. His mother materialized first, his sister quickly following as the former walked back over to the pot on the stove while the latter took a seat by the table. Danny quickly ran into the kitchen, a large grin plastered onto his face as he stood up on his toes, trying and failing to see what his mother was making. His black hair was puffier than usual as it hung down into his bright blue eyes. His father walked in afterwards, hoisting Jazz up into the air and placing her on his hip as he gave his wife a peck on the cheek. He glanced down and gave the five-year old boy an odd glance before reaching down and ruffling his already messy hair.

The memory quickly dissolved, showing the dead, lifeless kitchen once more. That's all they were now. Memories. Fantasies that no longer existed. All the joy, hope, love; quickly replaced with pain, grief, rage,...his father. Danny felt hot tears forming in the corner of his eyes, never noticing as his hair slowly began to melt into a bright white color and the blue in his eyes seeped into a liquid green.

Jack shifted his gaze towards the corner and gasped as he noticed a bright green light illuminating the kitchen. His shocked face quickly morphed into one of rage as he pushed himself out of his chair and stomped into the kitchen, startling his son half to death. Reaching down, the man grabbed Danny by the front of his newly appeared black and white jumpsuit. Danny's peridot eyes gazed at the man in pure terror. "I-I'm sorry!" He gasped out. "I-I-I didn't m-mean to." He cried.

But Jack was having none of it as he threw the boy back onto the ground, slapping him across the face, Danny's head snapping to the side at the force of the blow. "I've told you a _million_ times, you little freak!" Jack snarled. "You are _never_ to transform into this-this _thing!"_ He screamed, kicking the child in the stomach, Danny grunting as the breath was knocked out of his small body. "It's bad enough I have to deal with _you,_ but I will _not_ deal with a monster. Understand?!" He snarled, gripping the child's neck tightly. Tears streamed down Danny's cheeks as he gave a small nod.

Jack curled his lip and dropped the child on the ground before walking back over to the couch. Danny scrambled back before twisting around onto his feet, quickly sprinting up the stairs. Slamming the door to his room, he hurriedly scurried underneath his bed, his breathing rapid and erratic. He curled himself up into a ball as he wept silently, his teddy clutched tightly. After what felt like an eternity, his eyes began to droop before he fell into a fitful sleep, the muffled sounds of the TV downstairs drifting up from the floor. His cheecks were still shiny and wet when his hair melted back into a dark black color.

As Jack took a seat back on the couch, he pulled out a small white card, a number imprinted in the corner. He stared at the card in a moment of thought before pulling out his phone as well, dialing the number on the slip...with no regret.

 **...**

Danny's eyes flew open as he felt cold rough hands wrap around his ankle and yank him out from underneath the bed. He yelped as his skin blistered as it was dragged against the wooden floor. He gasped as his father's hands moved to his wrist, dragging him out of his room. He struggled in the man's grip as he watched his bed moving farther and farther away, the stuffed bear laying limp on the floor, smiling happily as it watched Danny be dragged away.

"Daddy! What are you doing?!" Danny screamed as he tried to claw his wrist out of his father's grip. The man's eyes stayed focused and hard on the hallway in front of him. The boy let out a cry of pain as his father's grip tightened, tears beginning to pool in his eyes. His glistening cheeks stung as his father's hand flew across his face once more, effectively shutting him up. He closed his bright blue eyes and allowed himself to be dragged down the stairs, stifling his gasp of pain as his ankle twisted painfully on the steps.

Finally, his father released him and threw him to the ground, a small grunt sounding from the child. He lifted his gaze to see they were now in the living room, the TV screen blank and dark, a rare sight. But it was what was in the corner of the room that caught Danny's attention

There were four strangers in white suits and dark black glasses standing stoic and guarded as they stared down at Danny, who noted they looked a lot like the secret agents seen on TV shows. Said boy glanced towards his father in confusion, only to watch as the man walked over to the strangers.

"Is this him?"" One agent asked, his body tensing underneath the suit as Danny sat up.

Jack nodded. "Yeah, now if you're going to do something, I suggest ya' hurry up and do it already." He growled out, folding his arms over his chest. "I didn't pay you just to stand there."

The agents glanced at each other for a moment longer before reaching into their suits. Danny gasped as the blasters were quickly aimed at him. Before he could move, two more agents leapt forward and grabbed his arms. "Daddy! Daddy, help me!" Danny screamed, bruises surely forming on his arms at the amount of pressure being placed on them

He watched with watery eyes as his father merely walked to the kitchen and grabbed another beer from the fridge, popping the cap off quickly. Danny grunted and kicked out as he felt the agents begin to drag him to the door. "Quit moving!" One man snarled, kicking the back of Danny's knee. He gasped in pain and crumpled to the floor, his breathing hitching as as more agents began to crowd around him, tasers and guns in hand.

"No!" Danny screamed as they grabbed him again. "No, no, NOOOO!"

The agents screamed out as a large green shockwave exploded out from the child, knocking them all off their feet, effectively destroying the nearby furniture. Jack narrowed his eyes and chucked the now empty bottle against the wall, the loud crash echoing throughout the halls. "See, what did I tell you? That little _freak_ needs to be locked away!" He snarled.

The agents turned back to the child, taking notice in the fact that he now had stark white hair and glowing green eyes. He wrapped his arms around himself and began to sob, his shoulders shuddering as the agents began to move closer again.

One of the females reached into her suit and pulled out a shining metal collar attached to a long glowing green wire. Quickly leaping forward, she clamped the collar around the boy's neck, earning a gasp of shock from the boy. Danny grunted and screamed as he felt himself be dragged across the carpet, the green wire gripped tightly in the woman's hands.

Danny's pleading eyes met his father's once more. "Daddy, please! What did I do?! I'm sorry! Please, please don't let them take me!" He screamed, only for his father to smirk and give a dry wave. Danny felt the last remnants of his heart shatter as the door to his "home" closed.

His neck burned as the collar gave him a violent shock. Falling to his knees, he vaguely felt the agents dragging him towards the alley behind the large building. Through watery eyes, Danny heard the sound of a van pulling up. The agents wasted no time in opening up the back, tossing the crying child inside. As the doors slammed behind him, he became shrouded in darkness, the only light coming in from the small air holes drilled into the sides. Peeking his eyes through one, Danny watched as his house became smaller and smaller.

He wrapped his arms around himself, the frigid temperatures swirling around him as he scooted into one of the corners and sobbed quietly, wishing for nothing more than for his mother to save him; for his sister to save him; for _anyone_ to save him. But those prayers were three years in the making, and not _once_ had they ever been answered.

* * *

 **It's amazing how stupid I am!**

 **I really, really,** ** _really_** **shouldn't be starting this, especially considering I still have two unfinished stories still in the works, ut I just couldn't put it off any longer. I was about to explode! So, sorry to the people who are still waiting on chapters for The Ghostly Titans II and Equestria's Phantom. Don't worry, the next chapters are almost done...okay that's kind of a lie, but I promise I'll work on them soon.**

 **I've finally decided to combine two of some of my most favorite TV characters ever. Danny Phantom and Batman! This fanfic might be a little different from my other ones, but I promise I'll try and make it as enjoyable as I can for you all.**

 **Anyway, I really hope you all enjoy this next fanfic. I'm actually SUPER excited for it!**

 **So, stay tuned for the next installment of...**

 **Under The Wings!**


	2. Chapter 2: Six Years

**Chapter 2: Six Years**

The sharp wind whipped back and forth, stinging his cheeks as he ran, his messy black hair blowing in all directions. The pounding in his chest made it seem like his heart was going to jump out at any moment. The buildings and streets blurred past as he ran, not even bothering to slow down to avoid the pedestrians on the street.

Danny stole a glance behind him and let out a sigh of annoyance when he caught sight of the three men still on his tail. their faces contorted in anger. He mentally kicked himself, seeing as he couldn't really stop to do it physically. Pick-pocketing one person was easy enough, two made for an interesting experience, but three...at the _same_ time, that was pushing it. Still, you couldn't knock a guy for trying.

His lungs were beginning to burn from the cold air that was beginning to seep in, freezing him from the inside out. Nevertheless, he pushed his legs faster, continuing to sprint down the sidewalk. He heard shouts of frustration and indignation as he shoved past the people milling around the street. He merely threw them sly grins before continuing. The clouded October sky made the dark city look even darker, and the bad moods of the citizens even worse.

Still, Danny continued on, pushing harder and harder. Running faster and faster. Suddenly, his eyes made out a large black lamp post standing on the corner of the street. Putting on another burst of speed, he pushed forward and wrapped his fingers around the cold metal. Swinging around the post, he let go and flung himself down a side street, hearing the angered shouts as the men quickly tried to right themselves as they caught up with what the kid had done.

A bead of sweat rolled down Danny's temple as he raced, his feet flying against the pale pavement. As he felt his side beginning to cramp up, he realized he needed to end this quickly. With a free hand, he reached into the pockets of the jacket ties around his waist and wrapped his fingers around the smooth pellets inside. He hoped his hard work on the pellets would pay off as he threw them behind him, silently praying to a god he no longer believed in.

The three men only had a moment to glance down before the pellets began to spin around, releasing thick clouds of grey smoke that swallowed them up, as well as any other unsuspecting pedestrians. Those caught in the middle of the fray screamed and shouted in shock and dismay.

Danny felt a grin spread onto his face as he rounded another corner and began to untie his jacket from around his waist. Quickly shoving his arms through the sleeves, he zipped it up and pulled the hood over his dark black hair. Lowering his head, he slipped into the crowd of people around him, successfully disappearing in plain sight.

He breathed a small sigh of relief as his fingers grazed over the rough leather of the three wallets he now owned. He grinned once more _. Hundred bucks richer and it isn't even noon. Not a bad morning, Fenton._

Boy, did he love Gotham City.

* * *

Danny kept his hands in his pockets as he shuffled along the streets, his head down. The amount of people around made him extremely uncomfortable, wanting nothing more than to simply disappear. Boy, if only it were that simple.

He had been walking for around an hour now, reaching into the jacket pockets of people talking on the phone, or others hailing cabs, his thin fingers slipping in and out before anyone could even blink. And just like that, he was gone, disappearing back into the crowds.

Finally, the bitter wind forced him to stop and make his way back home, or at least, his home for the time being. Shuffling along the streets, he turned down a dark thin alleyway. Walking through the dirt packed, garbage covered lane, he slipped underneath a thin metal-mesh fence and scurried into the backspace of a large brick building. The structure had once been an apartment complex, but it had long since been empty and abandoned.

As he walked along the back of the building, his eyes made out a window that sat at ground level, the bottom touching the dirt that littered the ground. Crouching down, he gently pushed his hands on the cool glass and the window tilted open, allowing him to slip inside. His feet made no noise as he expertly landed on the ground. Navigating his way through the dark room, his hands brushed against the wall until they made out a light switch and flicked it up, a bright light illuminating the room.

It was a lower-level basement pad, different cement support pillars scattered around the room, starting from the floor and running all the way up to the cracked ceiling. There was a large bare mattress in the corner of the room, a ruffled pile of blankets piled on top. A few empty bags of chips and cans of soda lay strewn about the floor. In the middle of the room, there was a wooden table and chair, a laptop, police scanner and radio placed on top, all three having been bought at a local pawn shop. And in another corner of the room, there was a pile of empty wallets, golden watches, phones of all colors and shapes, and even some pieces of jewelry and tech, all treasures of the hunt-as Danny put it.

Also on the table were different gadgets and tools, parts to random inventions-including the smoke pellet prototypes-scattered around the table. Double sided knives, _fun-sized_ grenades (as Danny referred to them as), and even throwing stars that were designed to break off into separate projectiles were just a few of the things Danny had been working on.

Walking over, Danny picked the money out of the wallets and tossed the empty carcasses onto the pile. Walking over to the table, he turned on the radio, a soft tune gently streaming from the machine as the boy turned on the laptop. Typing in a series of commands, he pressed the _call_ button and sat back in his chair.

His screen split into two windows as two faces appeared. One was a female with pale skin, short black hair and amethyst eyes. The other was a dark-skinned boy with teal eyes and thick glasses. Both adorned smirks on their faces as they gazed back at the raven-haired boy.

"What did you do this time?" The girl asked, crossing her arms as she took notice of the boy's smirk, which was never a good sign.

The male rolled his eyes. "What hasn't he done, Sam?" He moaned, rubbing his eyes in exasperation.

Danny clicked his tongue and pouted. "I am not _that_ bad."

"YES YOU ARE!"

"Yes I am."

Danny folded his arms. "Well, then I guess you don't want to hear what I have to say." He sniffed, turning his head up in disdain.

The girl- Sam -rolled her eyes and sighed. "We better let him get it out, Tucker or he's not going to stop bugging us. Normal Danny is hard enough to deal with as it is. Lord only knows what a _whiny_ Danny is like." He sighed.

Said boy flipped his hand around in a dismissive manner. "Please, as if He could handle _this."_ Danny stated, posing in front of the laptop, trying his best to keep a stern, serious look on his face. Safe to say it wasn't working. Tucker felt a spout of laughter escape his lips as he cackled, Sam facepalming in front of the screen. "Just spit it out already before I reach through here and punch you in the face."

Danny scoffed. "It's not a _punch_ , it's just a high-five to the face. How many times do we have to go over it, Sam? How many times?!" He shouted.

Said girl rolled her eyes once more. "Sure, so all those people you've _high-fived_ , you were just being friendly?" She asked, folding her arms.

Tucker took this time to come up for air in his laughing fit. "So by those standards, you're the friendliest person in the world."

Danny grinned and placed his hands on his hips. "Exactly. I mean, just look at this face! How can I _not_ be?" He asked.

Sam smirked. "I ask myself the same question everyday. How can you _not be_ in Arkham Asylum yet?"

Danny began to pout once more. "I resent that! I am not insane, I'm just...mentally hilarious!"

Tucker fell out of his chair, disappearing from the camera's view. The only sound that drifted up was one of choked breath as he tried and failed to compose himself. Sam groaned in frustration, especially considering the fact that a large devious grin was plastered onto the raven-haired boy's face.

"Face it guys, the world is a beautiful, magical place full of people just _waiting_ to be offended by someone. Why else do you think I'm here?" Danny asked, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

Sam rubbed her temples. "To torment us."

Danny shrugged his shoulders and placed a fist to his heart. "And that's a job I take with the utmost pride and honor."

Tucker, having finally pulled himself up again, fell back to the floor, the camera shaking as he kicked legs into the air, clutching his stomach as he guffawed.

Sam, eyes twitching, glared back up at Danny. "Is there any particular reason you decided to grace us with your unholy demonic presence of pain and misery? She growled.

Danny chuckled. "As a matter of fact, there is." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the large wad of cash he had obtained for the day, flashing it in front of the camera. Instantly, the laughing ceased as both teens on screen straightened out and stared at him, large grins appearing on their faces. Danny grinned and placed a hand to his hip.

"Lunch, anybody?"

* * *

Danny felt a genuine smile form on his face as he watched Sam and Tucker walk through the large doors, waving them over to the table. Neither of the three were really dressed appropriately for the restaurant, and the waiters seemed to take notice in this. Their jeans were ripped and old, jackets faded, loose strings hanging from the sleeves, and their hair was sticking out at odd angles.

Yet, despite the strange glances and disgusted grimaces they got, none of the trio seemed bothered by it. They were used to it. If anything, they found great humor in it. Sam smirked as she took a seat. "So, he lives." She said with a smile, Tucker chuckling. "Yeah man. We haven't seen much of you in a while."

Danny rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, sorry about that, but switching to a new city always means a few weeks of radio silence." He explained.

The two teens nodded, knowing better than to press Danny on this sensitive subject. For six years, Danny had been in constant movement. Staying in a particular city only for a few weeks before moving onto the next one. The two knew just how much Danny hated it, but they also knew what would happen if he stayed, and _god_ _forbid_ what would happen if he was caught. The boy hadn't seen anything from _them_ in a few years, but they all knew the truth.

 _They_ were still out there somewhere. Still hunting for him.

Tucker picked up one of the napkins and began to fold the corners. "So how's Gotham been treating you?"

Danny smirked. "Are you kidding? This place is the _best!_ Everybody here's already so crazy and twisted that I fit in perfectly." He chuckled, the others shaking their heads. "Besides, there are so many break-ins and thefts!" He shouted, raising his arms into the air as a smile appeared onto his face.

Sam and Tucker shared a confused glance before turning back to the teen. "Okay...so how is that a good thing?" Sam asked, raising a brow.

Danny rolled his eyes. " _Because_ whenever those idiot robbers are getting the shit beat out of them by the resident creep-in-a-cape, I get to smuggle off some of those goodies." He explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Tucker facepalmed while Sam began to clap slowly, causing another grin to spread onto Danny's face. A similar smirk appeared on the faces of his friends as well when they noticed the waiters and waitresses conversing in a corner of the kitchen, stealing glances at the teens from time to time. Said teens had to hide their snickers behind their hands as they watched the waiters begin to play rock-papers-scissors to see who would have to deal with them. They got their answer as an unfortunate male in his late thirties ended up with the draw. Letting out a long sigh, the man placed a grimacing smile onto his face and stiffly walked over.

"Good afternoon, my name is Phillip. Now before I begin, I must ask on behalf of my employers. Do you have a sufficient amount of money to pay for a meal here?" The man asked, making it blatantly obvious he was hoping they would say no. Sadly, Danny was all for shattering that kind of hope as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash, slamming it into the table harder than necessary, a loud bang echoing throughout the restaurant, causing many to look up from their tables and cast glances in their directions.

Sam and Tucker chuckled as Danny folded his arms, smirking up at the waiter. "I don't know about you, but I think that's enough to buy you for the whole night, don't ya' think?" He asked. Safe to say, stifling their laughter was harder than it seemed as they watched the waiter's face glow red in embarrassment and anger. Through gritted teeth, he asked "What can I get for you today?"

The trio quickly placed their orders, making sure to get enough to ensure leftovers that would last them a few days. As they watched the waiter walk away, Tucker leaned over the table. "You know he's totally spitting in our food, right?" He asked. Danny scoffed, signature smirk appearing on his face once more. "Please, I'm expecting him to bring out _Piss_ _Soup_ for us to share at this point."

Sam chuckled before she blinked in remembrance. "Oh, I almost forgot to ask. What do you think of...'our resident _creep-in-a-cape_." She asked, trying to remember how Danny had phrased it.

The boy shrugged his shoulders. "I'll admit it, Batman's _way_ cooler than any of the other _dweebs_ in the Cape Club, but...I don't know. Anybody who puts on colored underwear and goes around clocking bad guys with fancy new gadgets is placed under the category of _avoid-at-all-costs_ in my book" He explained.

Tucker rolled his eyes. "You mean the same book that says it's okay to rob people blind, pick at the scrapes of robberies-gone-wrong, and basically tick off whoever is closest to you in the most peculiar ways?" He asked, sighing in exasperation as Danny gave a proud nod, seeing nothing wrong in the statements his friend had provided.

Now, Danny would never to admit it to his friends, or anyone for that matter, but he actually had mild respect for the Dark Knight, which was _way_ more than any other hero got from him. The man was able to handle things that would make most people lose their minds, doing it everyday with a straight face. There were even times when Danny found himself admiring the man. But he tried not too read to much into it, and he ultimately never let himself look up to him too much.

After all...he used to look up to his father.

He quickly covered his thoughts up once more as Phillip reappeared, holding a tray piled with different plates of food. Setting them down in front of their respective owners, he forced another smile onto his face. "Can I get anything else for you, today?" He asked.

Danny smirked. "Nope, unless you feel like doing a little jig?

The waiter sniffed in disdain. "Enjoy your food. Please try not to _choke_ on anything." He said with a small grin.

The teen watched with narrowed eyes as the waiter moved onto another table, collecting the empty plates, stacking them back on the black tray. He turned back to his friends as a devious grin spread onto his face once more. "Watch this." He chuckled as he gently placed his foot on the wooden floor. Suddenly, the appendage began to glow a dull green before turning intangible. A small green trail stretched from his foot towards Phillip, the floor turning intangible as well until it disappeared underneath the man's foot before becoming solid once more.

The waiter screamed in shock as he tumbled to the floor, the plates shattering as the tray smashed into the floor, the loud noise echoing throughout the restaurant. Danny quickly ceased the tangibility and turned back to his friends with a smirk, watching as they failed for the final time in suppressing their fits of laughter.

 **...**

"Can I get you anything else?" Phillip said in a tired and aggravated voice as he forced his hands to remain by his side instead of curled around the raven-haired boy's throat. The teens had just recently finished up with dinner and were now gearing up to leave, much to the restaurant staff's joy.

Danny folded his hands behind his head and grinned up at the man. "Nope, I think we're all good here, Phil, my man." He said contently. The man glanced down at the check, no surprise blooming in him whatsoever when he saw no tip.

Suddenly, Danny's eyes popped open as he sat up. "Oh, I almost forgot." He said, reaching into his pocket. Pulling out a ten dollar bill, he slipped it into the man's apron. "Here you go, go ahead and buy yourself something pretty." The teen said with a smirk.

Phillip gave the boy a questioning look for the action before blinking. "Umm...okayyyy. Thank you, sir." He said slowly, hesitantly turning his back as he began to walk back towards the kitchen, stealing a glance back at the teen from time to time before disappearing through the doors.

Sam raised a brow at the teen. "Ten bucks? That's pretty big money to kids like us, D. You sure you want to give that up?" She asked.

Danny turned to her with a mischievous grin before holding up the same ten dollar bill. "Give what up?"

The teens smirked as they rose from their seats, quickly exiting the building before they decided to cause anymore havoc. Standing on the cold Gotham street, the three looked at each other before sharing a large hug. "You sure you'll be alright getting home by yourself?" Sam asked, even though she knew it was pointless. Danny would never admit his fear, not even to them. Besides the teen was more than capable of handling himself.

As expected, Danny waved them off. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Besides, what's safer than walking down Gotham's streets alone on a cold, dark, night?" He said with a grin. Sam and Tucker shared a horrified look before glaring at the teen as he walked away. "You totally suck, you jerk!" They shouted at him, which only made him laugh harder.

He gave them a two-fingered salute as he shoved his hands into his pockets. After the dinner, as well as splitting the remaining money with Sam and Tucker, he had around ten dollars left. He sighed, knowing he would have to stretch to make it through the rest of the week. He had been lucky today. The large sale at one of the more popular stores had caused people to carry more cash on them.

But Danny knew this wasn't the case most days. Sometimes, the people he stole from weren't even carrying money. This usually meant he went the day without food. Weren't those days _fun?_

lifted his gaze, the normal moon and stars that hung in the sky now covered by thick clouds. Snow would soon be falling. At least a few weeks left. Danny knew the conditions would make it tough to scrape any food together. He glanced down at his clothes, prompting another sigh. The thin, ratty jacket he currently owned definitely wouldn't be enough to keep him warm during those months, and neither would the blankets back home.

He lowered his gaze as he thought back to when he had used his powers at dinner. They would certainly make things easier for him, wouldn't they. He could phase into banks. Hauling out as much money as he needed without ever leaving a trace of him being there. He could raid clothing stores and pick out whatever he needed. He could make an actual life for himself.

He shut his eyes and wrapped his arms around himself, mentally telling himself it was only because of the cold.

He couldn't. He just couldn't. Using his powers for menial things was one thing. But using them to actually become a criminal. That was something he just couldn't do, no matter how many times he had screamed at himself to do just that in the past. He couldn't use his powers to help himself. He couldn't use his powers to elevate himself. He couldn't use his powers to make something of himself.

For it was because of them that he had no life in the first place.

It was because of them that everything had come crashing down around him. It was because of them that he could never find a permanent home. It was because of them that he had lost the very people he had once held dear. It was because of them that he felt paralyzing fear whenever he saw those liquid-green eyes.

He tilted his head to the side, stopping when he noticed he was now standing in front of the ATM outside Gotham bank. He stared at the large building; and the sleek machine. He raised his hand, noticing how it became intangible automatically. His fingers moved closer and closer to the machine, freezing a millimeter from the screen. He bit his lower lip before dropping his hand back down to his side.

He just couldn't. No matter how much he tried to convince himself, he still felt something inside. And that something was screaming at him that it was wrong. And that screaming in his heart was louder than the one in his head.

He sighed in defeat and turned back to the street, noticing how there was now a bright light illuminated in the sky, shining off of the clouds. A round column of light, the symbol of a bat in the center. How convenient that must be. Shining your beacon to the sky whenever you are in need of aid, whenever you're in trouble, whenever you seen _someone_ to save you.

Danny lowered his gaze as he continued to walk, one thought echoing in his mind.

 _Can I have one?_

* * *

 **Oh, Danny. Aren't you such a little piece of s***? It's going to be so awkward writing with curse words because I absolutely hate cursing, but I know it will fit perfectly into the story.**

 **Anywho...thank you to these people for favoriting and/or following: _Desert Dragon2000, Mr Bata, XoraNo.13, ZombiesArePeopleToo, deaddragon42, DPTTrocks, Diediepie, EnderBlazeHybrid, FanficFan920, Kimera20, NieEngel, NoSignalBlueScreen, Nothingbutaspectre, ShiraCr18, Sugar500, Theannyoingknowitall, Trickster True, Yoake-Cloud-Guardian, YuzukiKuchiki, animegeneral132, bow-and-arrow-lover, kitkatkate2008, sgtharrison46, suzga, Akuma Yuki Kitsune, Delta Princess, Elements08, MewNeko22, gwencarson126_**

 **Reviews:**

 **Theannoyingknowitall: I haven't really seen many other DP/DC crossovers, but thanks! I appreciate it.**

 **MewNeko22: Yeah, even though I plan on making plenty of other stories in the future, I think The Ghostly Titans will probably always hold a special place in my heart, especially considering it was the first real story I ever made.**

 **Kimera20: Thanks! I like it too XD Hope you stick with my craziness long enough to enjoy the ending.**


	3. Chapter 3: Clowns Suck!

**Chapter 3: Clowns Suck**

Danny eyes traveled over the people as they milled about the street, some pushing and shoving past pedestrians while others slowly and carefully weaved their way through. The crowds were busiest at sunset, many people finally getting off of work, while others moved onto their second jobs. From the fire escape, above the sea of people, Danny could tell just how many there actually were. And it surprised him. After everything that happened in Gotham, why the _hell_ would anyone stay?

The setting sun cast a warm glow on the normally grey city. Instead, there were mixes of reds, yellows and pinks bouncing off of metal poles, glass windows and water puddles. Danny gave a small groan of annoyance as his stomach rumbled. He had been fending off hunger throughout the day, but he noticed it was getting progressively worse.

He glanced down at the bustling crowds. One of those idiots had to have enough on them for at least a hot dog or something. Gripping the rails of the fire escape, Danny hoisted himself off the beam and quickly scurried down the steps.

Flipping the hood of his jacket up, the teen slipped into the bustling crowd with ease, melting into the river of people. Scanning the crowds, the teen narrowed his eyes as he tried to locate an easy target. He finally made out a man in a large coat, phone to his ear, face giving away the fact that the conversation wasn't pleasant.

Feeling a small grin spread onto his face, the teen picked up his pace until he was a few feet from the man. He then tripped up on his feet and stumbled into the man, who gave a grunt of surprise. Danny quickly righted himself and held up his hands, an apologetic look on his face. The man growled at him before shoving past, continuing with the conversation on the phone.

Danny slid past the man and continued to walk, feeling a new weight in his pocket.

Stopping to go get something to eat at a local hot dog stand, the teen quickly scarfed the small meal down, thankful that it was enough to silence the growling in his stomach. He sighed in content, quickly realizing night was falling. The sky was beginning to melt into a dark blue, deep purples and blacks mixed in as well.

He pulled his hood tighter over his head as he felt the temperature beginning to drop. Deciding to head back home, the teen turned and started back from where he came, only to stop as he heard the screech of tires. Whipping his head back around, he watched as a white van sharply turned a corner and sped down the street, stopping in front of the store next to Danny. The back door to the van opened up and a large gun popped out. Danny gasped as he watched different pellets shoot out from the barrel of the gun, the sharp ends sticking into the walls and ground of the store, smashing into the window as well.

Suddenly, a large plume of green smoke began to shoot from the pellets, filling the store and the surrounding area. Locals that were milling around the street took notice of this and let out shrill shrieks of terror as they fled the scene. Soon, people were exiting the store, coughing madly as they tried to clear their lungs. Soon, the coughs began to turn into small giggles, then into chuckles until they morphed into full-blown cackles.

Danny watched as the people around him began to fall to the floor, large grins on their faces as they laughed uncontrollably. He coughed and waved his hand in front of him, trying to clear his vision of the smoke around him.

Through the haze and the laughter, Danny never took notice of the cackling coming from inside the van. There, a certain green-haired, white-skinned man was laughing his butt off as he watched the people outside doing the same. "See? Ain't this so much better, Harls?" He asked, turning to the girl next to him, who wore a black and red jester's outfit.

"Now those sorry sticks in the mud are just as happy as I am!" He said with a sickening grin.

Harley smiled. "It really is, Mista' J! And your new gun works like a charm!" She said, cupping her hands over her heart. Suddenly, she took notice of a shape through the thick green smoke; a shape that wasn't rolling around on the floor in uncontrollable laughter.

"Hey, Mista' J? I think you should see this." She called hesitantly. Joker stopped laughing and sat up in his seat, glancing out the window as the teen finally broke through the smoke, face noticeably concerned, not at all like the people around him. The clown narrowed his eyes before he broke into a smile again. "Oh, well. He just needs a stronger dose!" He cackled, firing another pellet at the teen's feet, the weapon embedding itself into the ground next to him.

There, another plume of smoke began to rise from the pellet, shrouding the teen in green smoke once more. But once again, the teen waved the smoke away, slamming his foot down on the pellet, effectively destroying it.

Harley and the Joker's goons visibly flinched as they watched the weapon be destroyed, slowly turning towards The Joker, who was gripping the gun angrily. Suddenly, his grip disappeared as a new smile formed onto his face. "It seems I've found something interesting. Mo, Lar, Cur!" He shouted, the three men instantly straightening. "Go and fetch him for me." He said sweetly before his face darkened. "I have a few questions for him."

The three men nodded before hopping out of the truck. Danny watched as the truck door opened once more and three men leapt out. He took a reflexive step back as he watched them turn towards him. _Great, just what I needed. Attention from the local nuts_. He sighed to himself as he watched the three charge towards him.

Slipping into a loose defensive stance, he waited until the first man was a few paces from him before leaping to the side. There, he turned back towards the other two, slipping under the outstretched arms of another while leaping over the last. The three men stared dumbfounded at the teen before snapping back to attention.

Danny watched as one man reared a fist back while another rounded behind him. He smirked and ducked under the fist, hearing it connect with the face of the other man. He leapt underneath the legs of the first and jumped onto his shoulders. There, he rammed his elbow into the top of his head, sending him to the ground. Leaping back off, he faced off against the last man, who threw him a heated glare before charging.

Danny slipped out his stance and stood casually against the back wall as the man charged. At the last second, he stepped to the side and watched as the man rammed head-first into the wall, effectively knocking him out.

He let out a small sigh of relief as he shut his eyes. Years of being on the run had finally begun to pay off. Danny had started to train when he was ten, for he knew it was the only way he would be able to survive. There were times he wondered if it was even worth it. Now, he had finally received his answer.

Unfortunately, he also received an answer when he felt something heavy slam into his side, knocking him backwards where his head met the hard stone of the back wall. He slid down and slumped onto the floor, slowly falling into darkness.

Harley smirked as she placed her mallet onto her shoulder. Joker laughed from the car as he shoved his head through the open window. "Nice shot, Harls! Now tell those slackers to get off their butts and collect the little brat. And make it fast, before our grumpy playmate gets here!" He shouted.

Harley gave a salute before kicking the three men awake. She pointed towards the kid and walked back to the car, the three men glancing at each other for a moment before complying, tossing the teen into the back of the van before quickly disappearing, the only clue they had been there in the first place was the large group of people with pained grins on their faces.

Safe to say, it was a pretty big clue.

* * *

Danny woke to the feeling of cold metal slamming against his head, eyes flying open.

"Ooo, look! Our little friend is awake!"

Lifting his gaze, his bright blue eyes met the dark yellow of Joker's. The man was grinning as he tossed a crowbar from hand to hand. Shifting his gaze around the room, Danny noticed he was tied to a chair in the middle of a large building. Around the room, there were different toys and trinkets, some towering higher than the people in the room.

Milling around the room were the three men from before, and standing beside The Joker was a woman with a large mallet, the same mallet Danny bet knocked him out. He glanced around at the decorations around the room before turning back up to the man. "Nice place. Did you decorate it yourself?" He smirked.

The Joker threw a cackle before slamming the crowbar into the teen's shoulder. Danny groaned in pain as he watched the man turn to the others. "Ain't this kid great?!" He grinned. Harley smiled nervously. "Umm..yeah. He's wonderful, puddin'. But maybe we should focus on why we brought him here."

Joker cast a sideways glance at the table behind him. "Oh, yeah." He mumbled to himself.

Walking over, he grabbed a small squirtable flower from the table and brought it back over to the immobilized teen. He kneeled down in front of Danny and smirked. "Now, smile!" He said as he squeezed the flower, a bright green mist floating into the teen's face.

Danny shut his eyes and turned his head away, letting out a cough as he tried to clear himself of the smoke. Joker laughed as he watched the smoke cover the teen, only to stop when the smoke cleared and the teen's face wasn't pulled into a horrid grin. In fact, he held a look of anger.

"Seriously? Was that really necessary?" He growled in annoyance.

The people in the room glanced at each other in confusion at the teen's response. Joker picked up the flower and glanced over it with a keen eye. "I don't understand..." He trailed off as he glanced behind him. Eyeing one of his three goons, he chucked the flower at the man's feet, a large green plume exploding around him.

Harley and the other two boys screamed and backed into the corner of the building as they watched the goon be engulfed in the smoke. Suddenly, a loud cackling could be heard as the smoke cleared, revealing the man on the floor, a large grin plastered onto his face.

Joker rubbed his chin. "Well...it's not the venom..." He glanced down at the teen, who was looking at him with a bored expression. "So...what's so special about you?" He growled out.

Danny sighed in exasperation as he glanced down towards the ground. He would never let it show, but he could feel his heart beating erratically in his chest, screaming to leap out. He knew the clown would only begin to get angrier without an explanation as to why he wasn't being affected, and he couldn't really explain that it was because of his altered chemical makeup. He sighed inwardly. _Man, even when my powers save me, they put me in even more danger_.

Nevertheless, he hid his discomfort with a devious grin. "I don't know. Some people say it's my brain. Others say it's my unnaturally good looks, and then there are those that say it's my lack of empathy. Personally, I think it's a combination of all three."

Joker and Harley shared a look before the clown lowered the crowbar, placing the point underneath the teen's chin, lifting his head to eye level with him. "Well, let's just test that, shall we?" He said with a sickening grin.

 _Twenty Minutes Later..._

"What the hell's the matter with this kid?!" Joker screamed, curling his fingers around his hair.

Around the entire base, different colored explosives had all been detonated, purple dust clung to the ceiling while red powder sat in the corner of the room, green was covering the table and orange was the most recent color around Danny's chair. The three men that had succumbed to the venom's effects were finally beginning to snap out of it, and Harley was cowering behind her boss.

Danny swung his legs back and forth in the chair, a content smile on his face as he watched the man try and figure him out. He chuckled inwardly. _I'm driving a madman insane. Damn, if Sam and Tucker could see me now..._

He shrugged his shoulders at the clown's question. "You know, my friends have been asking the same question for a while now, and they're never able to really give a definite answer. But you are welcome to give it a try." He said with a grin.

Harley placed her hands over her ears. "And he won't SHUT UP!" She shrieked.

Danny scoffed. "Please, it's considered a good thing when I'm talking. It's when I _stop_ talking that you have to get nervous. That means I'm probably plotting."

Harley and Joker shared a look. "Plotting what?" Harley asked.

Danny shrugged. "Does it really matter?" He asked with a devious grin, blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

Joker rolled his eyes. "I don't have time for this." He growled, walking back over to the table behind him. He picked up a pile of papers, a grin spreading onto his face once more. "Those little bombs today were just a test run. Now I get to enjoy the main event." He said, Harley smirking beside him as she handed him another piece of paper. Danny narrowed his eyes as he saw the man whispering something to the female clown. Closing his eyes, he steadied his breathing and focused his powers on his hearing.

"...with that venom bomb at the harbor, it will spread my wonderful concoction on all of those shipping containers. Anyone who touches them will become just as wild as me. And those things will be shipped _everywhere_ , meaning people all over will be having laughing fits from here to Chattanooga!"

Danny gasped, thankful the man hadn't heard. He noticed the clown stealing a glance towards him every once in a while before turning back to the papers, he drummed his fingers against the table as he bit his lower lip. Finally, the man let out a shout of frustration as he threw the papers into the air. "But I still don't understand!" He snarled, picking the crowbar up off of the floor. His eyes glowed dangerously as he swung the weapon towards the teen, his head snapping backwards at the force behind the swing.

"Why. Can't. I. Make. You. Laugh?!" He snarled, adding another swing of the crowbar with every word.

Danny felt the tang of copper in his mouth as he spit blood onto the floor. He whipped his head up, anger evident in his eyes. "Maybe it's cause you're _not that funny!_ " He shouted back.

BIG mistake.

Before the teen could blink, the barrel of a gun was pointed between his eyes. He swallowed the lump in his throat before glancing back up to meet the Joker's malicious gaze. He felt another smile form on his face, but it wasn't enough to stop the bead of sweat that rolled down his temple. "Well..." He said, proud when his voice never wavered. "At least now I get to add murder to the list of things I've gotten to experience." He said with a grin.

His muscles tensed when he watched Joker's face morph into a grin even wider than his. "It's only murder if they find a body."

Danny prepared his hands to turn intangible, but before he could, the sharp whiz of a projectile cut through the air. Joker let out a pained shout as something sharp and fast tore through the air, slapping the gun out of his hands. It stuck to the back wall, the metal shining against the light, reflecting the shape perfectly.

A batarang.

Danny watched with wide eyes as a large black shape dropped down from the railings, landing on the ground without making a sound. The people in the room quickly whipped around to face the newcomer, snapping out of their shock.

Joker's goons quickly leapt to their feet and charged the man. The Dark Knight slipped into a defensive stance and leapt into the air, landing square onto the man's shoulders, driving him into the ground with a loud thump. Leaping back onto the floor, he reached behind him and grabbed another batarang, hurling it at another clown. The projectile slammed into the ground before beginning to beep quickly.

Before the goon could react, the device exploded underneath his feet, driving him backwards. Batman let out a grunt of surprise as he felt someone bear-hug him from behind, crushing him in their grip. He struggled and kicked his legs as he tried to break free, only for the grip to hold fast. Finally, he drove his head backwards, slamming it into the man's face. He let the Dark Knight drop back down to the floor as he clutched his face in pain.

Batman reached up and grabbed the man's shoulders, pulling him towards his knee, which he drove upwards, crushing his nose against his kneecap.

He narrowed his eyes and turned around, only to feel something slam into him and send him flying backwards. He grunted and looked up to see Harley running towards him, her mallet swinging in her hands. Batman crouched underneath the swing and swept the girl's legs out from under her, sending her crashing to the ground. Her mallet crushed the ground as it fell, rolling along the warehouse floor.

Harley groaned as she pushed herself up once more, only to feel tight wires wrap around her. She grunted as she tried to break through, only to gasp as she fell to the floor once more.

Batman turned back, noticing the Joker was no longer in the room. He let out a growl of frustration, only to stop when he remembered the hostage-no-when he remembered the _kid_. Turning around, he noticed the chair was now laying on its side, empty.

He narrowed his eyes as he noticed the blood around the chair. The teen was injured. He clenched his fists in anger. He wanted to go after the kid, make sure he was alright, but he also knew Joker took priority. If the kid was well enough to escape without making a sound, then he should be fine for the time being.

Batman then realized he had another problem. He had no idea where the Joker went.

He let out a sigh of frustration before making his way towards the door.

 _"Hey, I think I know where he went._ "

He turned at the voice. Crouched on the roof railings was a teenager with messy raven-black hair and crystalline blue eyes. He had blood dripping out of the corner of his mouth as well as down the side of his head. The teen's arms were crossed over his chest, almost defensively.

He nodded his head towards the door. "He mentioned something about the harbor. Near the shipping pods. I'd check there first if I were you. Said he had a bomb with venom stashed away there." He explained, his voice revealing nothing about him. It seemed...clipped, unattached.

"Wait." Batman called as he watched the teen quickly slip out of the window.

Part of him wanted to go after the teen. But he knew he had to stop the Joker first. Reluctantly, he made his way outside and grappled his way onto the roof. As he moved, his thoughts stayed on the teen. He was bloody and obviously injured, but he acted like nothing was wrong. He narrowed his eyes as he ran through the night.

Something told him it wouldn't be the last time he saw that kid.

* * *

 **Well, there you go. Our favorite ghost boy meets the Dark Knight for the first time. But something tells me it won't be the last those two see of each other.**

 **Thanks to these people for following and/or favoriting: _AJMason, Ijustdon'tcare132, KaeterinaRomanov, Mary Elrondile, The Crossover Addict, The Fan of awesome, dennej21, lillilycutie, live4040, AwesomeMan327, ChrisReniets, lordphoenex10_**

 **Reviews:**

 **Glacio Koro: Thanks, hope your love lasts till the very end.**

 **YouCanOnlyPretend: Most of these questions will probably be answered later, but just to cease your confusion: Danny met Sam and Tucker on the streets and they communicate through a computer because Danny moves from city to city and he wants to stay in contact with them. Sam and Tucker don't travel with Danny. They live in Gotham, but they moved there from a nearby city, which is where they first met Danny.**

 **DPTTrocks: I know. I have no patience whatsoever when it comes to rude people, so if I were Phillip, I would have thrown down! Anyway, I hope this curbed some of your anticipation.**


	4. Chapter 4: Granola Diamonds

**Chapter 4: Granola** **Diamonds**

Danny ran a shaky hand through his hair as he tried to curb the headache that was threatening to make him hurl. He covered his eyes with his hand as he lay on the large mattress, the blankets tucked around him not doing much good to keep him warm.

It had been around a week and a half since Danny had run into The Joker and the man's caped babysitter, yet he could still feel the effects from the beating. He had resorted to digging through back-alley dumpsters for small scraps of food and crumbs, not having enough strength to actually go out into public, and he could feel it.

His stomach whined angrily at him, causing him to curl up onto his side. He growled in frustration. "You just had to take your sweet time, didn't you, Batsy?" He whined to nobody in particular, knowing it was pointless to be angry at the man anyway. If it hadn't been for him, he would either be dead, or worse...he could have _exposed_ himself.

The thought made him shiver, despite his mind screaming at him that it was just the cold.

Thinking back to it, Danny had wondered if Batman had actually managed to catch the creep. But those thoughts were curbed a few hours after his encounter when he had turned on the radio while bandaging his wounds and heard the news report of the Joker having been booked into Arkham once again, Batman having just foiled another one of his plots.

Now, if anyone had been in the room with Danny at the time, they all would have said the news didn't phase him at all. They would have described how his face never twitched. He had merely continued to bandage his wounds. But inside, he was secretly relieved he had been able to actually do something, especially since it had been years since he had felt he could do anything at all except run, not that he wasn't good at it, mind you.

Finally, after a few minutes of continuous swears and curses of pain, the headache finally began to curb until reducing to a dull throbbing in the back of his head. Deciding himself fit enough, the teen threw the blankets off of himself and slowly pushed himself off of the mattress.

He swayed on his feet for a few moments before quickly righting himself. He took a deep breath and began to walk across the dark room, stopping at the table right underneath the access window. Placing a foot onto the wooden surface, he was about to push himself up and out when he heard a beeping noise.

Turning his head, he made out a window blinking on his laptop screen with the words, _Incoming Call_ plastered onto it. He let out a small sigh as he climbed down from the table and walked back over. Taking a seat in his chair, he propped his feet up onto the table and folded his hands behind his head, giving the appearance of total relaxation.

Pressing the _accept_ button with the heel of his ratty sneakers, he watched as his screen split into two windows, Sam and Tucker's worried faces popping up. He let a grin appear on his face as he gazed back at the teens. "Aww...is somebody checking in on widdle ol' me?"

Sam rolled her eyes. "Yeah, cause ' _widdle ol' you'_ was stupid enough to get kidnapped by THE JOKER!" She shouted, looking as though as if she could, she would reach through the screen and slap the boy upside the head, which is exactly what she was imagining.

Danny scoffed. "No, I was stupid enough to _piss off_ The Joker." He clarified.

Tucker let out a sigh of exasperation, which always seemed to follow a talk with Danny. "Seriously, man. Most people just don't walk away from things like that with a skip in their step." He said, concern evident on his face.

Danny waved him off. "Since when have I been like most people?" He asked.

Sam narrowed her eyes. "You're right. Most people would actually take this seriously." She growled at him, folding her arms over her chest.

Danny removed his feet from the table and sat up, leaning closer to the computer. "Guys, really. I'm fine." He said with a small smile. "Sure, a few bruises there, a concussion here...but otherwise, I'm just as good as before." He grinned.

Tucker scoffed. "You mean just as horrible as before."

Danny's grin grew larger. "Exactly."

Sam, on the other hand, still looked unsure. "I don't know, Danny. What if-"

"Sam I promise you I'm fine. And if it so happens I'm not, then I give you full permission to shoot me in the leg!" He said, raising his arms over his head at the statement. He grinned inwardly. The girl had been threatening to do that exact thing to him since they day they first met.

Sam raised a brow. "Shoot you with what?" She asked. "It's not like any of us have a spare gun lying around."

Danny shrugged his shoulders. "Rocks, shards of broken glass, heck I'll even let you throw Tucker at me!" He grinned, laughing as Tucker sputtered in shock.

"Umm..I do _not_ give permission for that!" The boy shouted.

Sam and Danny smirked. "Who said I/she needed your permission?" The two teens asked at the same time, leaving Tucker looking paler than usual.

Danny grinned before he sat up suddenly, gripping his stomach as he let out a groan of pain. The two teens behind the screen quickly ceased their joking as they noticed their friend's discomfort. "You okay, dude?" Tucker asked, leaning closer on the camera.

Danny gave another smile, the two noticing it was weaker than usual. "Yeah, just a little hungry. Haven't really had any time to go hunting lately." He confessed.

Sam furrowed her brow. "Do you need us to come over. It might take a while, but if we can sneak onto the subway, we can be there in around half an hour." She stated, only to watch as Danny shook his head.

"No, I'm fine. I should probably go topside anyways." He said, turning back to glance at the window.

Sam and Tucker shared knowing looks with each other before shrugging. "Alright, if you say so. Just try not to get your sorry ass into anymore trouble, _okay_." Sam said in a voice that would make normal people shiver. Danny, however, merely gave her a cheeky smile. "Me? Trouble? Whatever are you talking about?"

* * *

The moon hung high in the black night sky, casting a bright white glow on the surrounding clouds, producing a large halo of light that slowly seeped back into pitch black the farther it stretched from the orb. Billions of pinpricks of light lay scattered across the sky, crushed stardust dispersed throughout the inky void.

Yet, even though the sky above shone beautifully and bright, the city underneath it was anything but. The tall buildings stretched up on every side, scraping up against the sky. Smoke billowed out from factories in the distance, fading into nothing the farther up they went. Cars honked and screeched at each other as they sped past, leaving nothing but colored blurs as clues they were ever even there.

Danny sighed at how dark it was. He hadn't realized how late it had gotten. The darker it got in Gotham, the less people on the streets, ergo, less money for him to steal. He placed a hand to his stomach as it gave another sorrowful cry. _Never hurts to try, though_. Danny thought as he slowly slipped onto the street and began to walk quietly down it.

He began to grow more and more annoyed the more he walked, noticing there were barely any people out, and the people who _were_ out were more likely to ask _him_ for money. He furrowed his brow as his eyes made out some of the higher buildings in the distance, bright lights noticeable deeper into the city.

He bit his lip in thought. Central Gotham always stayed up later than the rest of the city, home to most of the lounges and nightclubs in the city. There was sure to be more people milling around there, but there was sure to be more thugs and lowlifes in there as well.

Danny debated with himself for a few moments longer before his stomach decided for him.

 **...**

It didn't take him long to reach his destination. Bright lights from the nearby signs illuminated everything in neon colors. People milled around the streets, either hailing cabs, walking with friends, or stumbling around blindly as they tried to figure out what was up and what was down without hurling. The scent of alcohol and booze hung heavy in the air, almost thick enough to make Danny's eyes water if he weren't already numb to the scent from years past.

For a moment, he lingered in the shadows of one of the alleyways next to a street, watching as the people walked back and forth, laughing, drinking, whatever. The sights and smells combined made Danny's gut churn uncomfortably, not that it wasn't already on the fritz. He seriously began to wonder whether coming was a good idea as he watched a burly man gripping an obviously drunk girl tightly around the waist, running his hand up the outside of her dress. .

Danny curled his lip in disgust before turning away, crossing his arms over his chest. No, no hunger was worth this, was worth _being_ here.

He groaned as he clutched his stomach once more, a loud gurgling filling his ears. _Then again..._

But before he could make another move, the sound of shattering glass filled his ears. Twisting around, he quickly ran deeper into the alleyway before coming to a dimly lit street, one of the nearby stores now sporting a newly broken window.

Narrowing his eyes, the teen slipped into the shadows and skirted along the wall, slowly moving closer until he was at the corner of the store, back pressed up against the cold brick walls. Carefully poking his head out from behind the corner, he could make out the gleam of jewels in the bright moonlight.

He sucked in a breath as his eyes fell on the trinkets and diamonds that sat in the store, now up for grabs. Turning his head slightly, he could make out the shape of three-no-four men shuffling around the store, the sound of jewels and diamonds clinking together filling his ears as he watched more and more rubies, emeralds, sapphires and others fall to the same fate of being shoved into a large burlap sack. He snapped out of his trance as he heard shouts. Quickly whipping his head back out of sight, he could hear the shuffling of feet and the crunch of broken glass as the figures quickly leapt out of the window.

Danny peeked his head out slightly as he watched the men shout something to each other before running down the street.

Safe to say, they didn't get far.

The teen gasped as a familiar _whiz_ filled his ears before he watched the lead man topple backwards, falling hard to the floor. Danny blinked in surprise before lifting his gaze back up to watch a figure leap down from the roof, landing in front of the remaining three men. His black cape billowed to the side as another sharp breeze blew past them, chilling Danny's bones. Surprisingly, the kid barely felt it as his gaze stayed focused on the scene in front of him.

The men quickly blinked out of their shock as they reached into their jackets, each pulling out pistols. Aiming them at the Dark Knight, the sharp bang of guns filled the air as they fired, making Danny's ears pop. Batman leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding the bullets as they shot by.

Reaching into his belt, he pulled out a pair of pellets and hurled them at the men's feet, dodging the bullets as he did so. A large plume of thick grey smoke billowed out from the contraptions, surrounding the goons in black fog. The three men quickly righted themselves as they scanned the thick smoke, eyes peeled for the swish of a cape or the flash of a batarang.

Suddenly, a fist shot out from the smoke, slamming into one of their noses. The man screamed out in pain as he felt bones snap in his face, only to feel his legs get kicked out from under him. Toppling to the side, he felt rough hands grab his shoulders and slam him backwards. Quickly, Batman leapt onto another, ramming his elbow into the man's shoulder before punching him in the stomach.

The last guy managed to get a punch in before getting a knee to the face, the bag in his hands flying backwards, skidding on the ground, spilling its shimmering contents next to an open alleyway. Danny's eyes locked onto the diamond necklace and ring that had skidded next to his foot. Tentatively reaching down, his fingers gently brushed up against the cold stone. He felt a moment of hesitation, only to have his stomach win the argument as he quickly snatching the jewels into his hands.

Stealing one last glance at Batman as the man continued to fight, the teen quickly turned on his heel and sprinted down the alleyway. Turning down another back path, he felt his feet flying as he ran, numb to the cold wind that continued to circle around him. All he could hear was his own harsh breathing and the pounding blood in his ears.

He felt his heart beating loudly, just as it usually did whenever he was running away with _something_ that didn't necessarily belong to him. Only this time was worse; this time, he was running from the _frikkin_ Batman! _Perfect._

Nevertheless, the teen continued to urge his legs forward, yet the fact he hadn't eaten properly in at least a week began to show through as his muscles began to scream in protest. Finally, he succumbed to the exhaustion as he collapsed against the back wall of an abandoned building.

At this point, the teen finally began to realize he didn't exactly know where he was. _Even better._ He sighed and shakily rose to his legs once more, even though they felt more like wet noodles. He groaned in pain as he noticed his headache had returned, leaning back against the wall for support.

Finally, after taking a moment to compose himself, the boy felt his heart rate beginning to reduce back to normal. He let out a sigh of relief as he opened his eyes once more.

Nope! There goes his heart again.

His eyes met those of the Dark Knight, the man standing stoic in front of him. Danny quickly scanned the man up and down and noticed his stance wasn't defensive or aggressive. In fact, it seemed...relaxed, or at least, more relaxed than before. He watched as the man began to do the same to him, scanning the teen from head to toe. The man's eyes then fell on the shimmering objects half concealed behind the teen's back.

Before he could say anything, he watched as the teen in front of him lowered his gaze to the ground. "So, umm...I heard you caught the Joker. W-was he at the harbor?" He asked softly.

Batman noted the teen's uncomfortable stance before he nodded his head. "Yes, thank you." He said softly.

He had to blink a few times as he watched the teen perform a complete 180 flip as a large smirk appeared onto his face, his stance becoming relaxed as he leaned back against the wall once more. "Oh, so you do talk. And here I thought you only spoke with your fists." The teen sniped. Batman stood quiet as he tried to process how the teen's demeanor could change so suddenly, only to shrug his shoulders slightly.

"Sometimes, that's the only way to get people to listen." He explained. "What's your name?" He asked, unsure of whether the teen would really be willing to answer.

Danny hesitated for a moment, wondering whether it was really safe to give the man his name, especially considering the fact that the information might fall into the wrong hands, into _their_ hands. But after a moment of thought, he began to realize that the chances of anyone being aware of _them_ was slim to none. After another moment, he shrugged his shoulders. "My friends call me Danny."

Batman raised a brow. "Am I to assume you have a last name?"

The teen smirked. "Yes, and you can safely _assume_ that I'm not giving it to you." He said, folding his arms over his chest.

Danny paused, waiting for the man to get angry, only it never came. Instead, the caped crusader merely nodded, almost as if he had expected it. Danny shrugged in acceptance, only to watch as the man extended his arm, palm open as he gazed expectantly at the boy. Danny let a loose smile cross his face as he revealed the jewels, tossing the diamond necklace from hand to hand. "Sorry, Bats. But not all of us are rich enough to buy the newest version of the Batmobile the second it's out on the market." He quipped.

The Dark Knight raised a brow at the statement, only to perk as he heard a small rumbling. Gazing back down at the teen, he watched as he clutched one hand around his stomach as he threw a smirk towards the man. "Don't worry, that's just the sound it makes when my stomach acid begins to eat away at my insides. No biggie."

Batman rolled his eyes at the teens comment, only to take notice of the rags that clung to the boy's thin frame, goosebumps forming on arms that seemed thin enough to snap with a look. He also noticed the bandages wrapped around his arm, traveling underneath his clothes. He felt a small twinge of sympathy, realizing it was his encounter with the Joker that left him as he was.

He narrowed his eyes and whipped his arms forward. Danny scrunched his eyes shut as he waited for the sharp sting of pain, only to feel no such thing. Opening his eyes, he realized the jewels were now in the hands of the Dark Knight, and in his noticeably smaller ones, there was a collection of twenty dollar bills and a granola bar.

Danny blinked in confusion as he stared at the new items in his hand before gazing back up at the man in front of him. The jewels were now nowhere to be seen, probably stashed away in the man's belt, Danny suspected. Batman stared down at the teen for a moment longer. "It's all I have on me." He stated, turning away as he prepared to walk away. "Try not to spend it all at once."

Danny stared at the money and the granola bar with a small smile, before a new problem arose in his mind.

"Umm...hey Bats?"

"What?"

"...you wouldn't happen to know where we are, would you?"

The Dark Knight placed a hand to his forehead as he let out a long, tired sigh. He _so_ did not have time for this. He hesitated for a moment as he thought back to the thugs in the street. He finally turned back around as he realized the wires he tied them to the poles with weren't going to be breaking anytime soon, and neither would the return of consciousness.

He cast the teen one last glance before wrapping his arm around the teen's waist. Before the teen could voice his concerns, the grappling hook was already sailing, as were they.

Danny let out a yelp of surprise as he felt his feet leave the ground, the Dark Knight's arm tightly secured around his waist. He felt the wind whistling past his ears as they raced faster and faster towards the high roof overhead.

Danny grunted as his feet touched the gravel-covered terrain of the roof, Batman landing beside him. From there, the entire city could be seen, bright lights shining bright as they illuminated the surrounding area, while dark shadows blanketed over the more distant streets. Batman glanced over to the teen next to him. "Where do you live?" He asked, not surprised as the teen motioned to the darker shadows of the farther streets. Judging from his clothes and the manner in which they had met, it didn't surprise the man that the kid didn't live in the best conditions.

He nodded, nevertheless, as he grabbed the teen once more and swung back over to the street where the thugs were now being picked up by the local authorities. With a swish of his cape, Batman turned on his heel and walked into another alley across from them. Danny tilted his head, but followed anyway.

Finally, the teen stopped when the sound of a roaring engine shone to life. He blinked in shock as the Batmobile zoomed towards them, the hatch opening quickly. The Dark Knight wasted no time in sliding into his seat, motioning for Danny to follow.

The teen smirked and leaped into the seat, placing his feet onto the dashboard. "Man, free food _and_ a ride home. This is turning out to be a pretty great date, huh Batsy?" The teen grinned. Batman rolled his eyes underneath the mask as the vehicle roared to life, quickly speeding out of the alleyway and out onto the street.

The ride home was _anything_ but quiet as Batman quickly realized how the teen had managed to tick off Joker. The man could almost swear his eye was twitching in annoyance by the time they made it back to the teen's home streets. At this point, the kid had moved the conversation away from the caped crusader and his trinkets and was now focusing his wrath on the Justice League; more specifically...Superman.

"And seriously, nobody, and I mean _nobody_ has that much _truth and justice_ in them. And if they do, then it'd be a good idea to stay away. Or, better yet, just smack them upside the head and tell them to knock that crap off, cause it ain't fooling anybody." The teen quipped. "I mean, come on! If you have to deal with the _Flash_ everyday, then there's no way you'd get through a day without thinking of _at least_ three different ways to kill him."

Alright, _that_ made the man smirk slightly.

Nevertheless, the teen's words sunk deep with him, making him wonder just what had happened that made him see others- _heroes_ -as corrupt and cruel, just like everybody else. He turned his head slightly as he cast a glance towards the teen. "I've dealt with people that make you doubt a lot of things, Danny, but I've also learned a few things."

Danny raised a brow as he turned to the man. "Like what?"

"Like people aren't as bad as you might think."

Danny scoffed at that before turning his head to gaze out the window. "Let me put it to you this way, Bats. Good people are found in every corner of the Earth." He stated.

Batman furrowed his brow at this before turning to the teen. "But the Earth is round."

Danny gazed at him with a tired expression, a small smile on his face. "Exactly."

The Dark Knight sighed before noticing the teen waving for him to stop the car. Slowly bringing the Batmobile to a stop, he opened the hatch, allowing the teen to jump out of his seat. Taking a look at the street, Batman noticed many of the surrounding buildings weren't as bad as some might think. They were actually moderately well-kept. But the building they had stopped in front of was anything but. Wooden planks were nailed to the front door, and decaying ricks crumbling as they fell to the dirt-packed floor.

Nevertheless, Danny gave a relieved sigh as he took in the sight, exhaustion obvious in the boy's posture. Yet, he turned to the Dark Knight with the same grin as before. "Well, it's been fun, Batsy. We should do it again sometime, my treat." He chuckled.

Batman rolled his eyes for what seemed like the seventh time in the last five minutes. "Try and stay out of trouble, kid. I'd rather not have to save you from anymore psychos." He growled out, giving the teen a pointed glare.

Surprisingly, the kid merely shrugged off the look. "Please, if anything, you saved the Joker from _me_." He said with a smirk.

Batman resisted the urge to facepalm as he shook his head. "Just stay out of trouble, you little _twitlet_." He sighed, closing the hatch, before hurriedly driving down the street once more, disappearing into the night, as usual.

Danny felt a smile form on his face as he began to walk back home. As he did, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the granola bar. Ripping off the wrapper, he gratefully crunched into the bar, the combination of salty and sweet hitting his tongue full force. The flavors brought a smile to his face as he reached into his pocket once more and pulled out the money.

 _Salty and Sweet...just like the creep-in-a-cape_.

* * *

 **Twitlet: young version of a twit (twit+younglet)**

 **I love Batman. I'll fight anyone who says he isn't the best DC character ever! (No I won't I bruise like a peach) Anyway, this chapter turned out longer than I originally planned, but I'm sure you're not complaining.**

 **Thanks to these people for favoriting and/or following: _Fear the Fuzzy Bear, FluffyDarkUnicorn, InquizitoryDarkling, Iymea, LadyPsycho16, Lalenja, Meyumi, Noenay, RosyThorn, Shining Moon in Shadow, The Half-Fallen Angel, TuftsOfCotton, Zerephel, hitomi-tama, mattmack, onewhodies, roselindaphilippe, seebee777, theconfusedman, Adewin, Darkverger1, MilenaEule, OilWar, Tigerstar1232, animecat8888, blueorgray1236, BurningRosethorn, skywright_**

 ** _Reviews (damn there are a lot):_**

 **Snowthewhitewolf: Thanks, and here you go! No more waiting!**

 **YouCanOnlyPretent: Yep, whenever you have questions, I'll almost always answer, unless they spoil something. Don't be afraid to ask if I ever make anything unclear.**

 **Canary512: Yeah, I've wanted to write Danny like this for the longest time. I'm going to have so much fun with this story.**

 **MikaBlue: Thanks, I really appreciate it. And here you go! XD**

 **Glacio Koro: Yeah, Danny's going to be really snarky in this story, just to warn you.**

 **DPTTrocks: That's like the one thing that will always send him over the edge. So...nice going Danny. He's not a very smart hostage.**

 **Fear The Fuzzy Bear: Thanks, I've always wondered about my writing style. What's that crossover your friend made? Maybe I'll come across it.**

 **AwesomeMan327: The main setting will probably be Danny's station in Gotham, but I promise, I placed this story in the Justice League crossover section for a reason ;)**

 **Kimera20: Well if that brief meeting wasn't enough, here's some more, and even more on the way**

 **Darkverger1: Thanks, and I have to say, The Ghostly Titan series will always hold a place in my heart. They were the first stories I ever wrote.**

 **Guest of honor: You'll see what happened soon enough.**

 **Rocky: You'll just have to keep reading to see what happens ;D**

 **lillilycutie: Thanks, I don't know if it's that good, but I really appreciate it. I love stories that keep me hooked and busy, especially whenever my life gets kind of boring.**


	5. Chapter 5: You're The Worst

**Chapter 5: You're The Worst**

To say the least, Danny was _pissed_. The first few flakes of snow had passed through last week from the sudden cold front, and granted, the front had only lasted a few days, it meant he had to be shut into his humble abode for those few days. Which _meant_ , no food.

Now, finally free from his confines, the first thing he had done was go on the hunt. But, as his luck would have it, the cold had left many people off of the streets, shut up in their homes; comfortable and safe as they spent time with their families.

Well, _screw them._

So, instead of the wondrous adventure of digging through dumpsters, Danny had found a new means to obtain what he needed. Who's dumber than the people walking on the street? People stuck behind convenience store counters!

So, that meant _Dave's Grocery Discount Store_ had the great honor of Danny's presence. Or at least, that's what he thought. The store was small and obviously run down, but it was enough to satisfy the twisted kid's needs. Unfortunately for him, one particular janitor who seemed way too into his job, noticed the teen _'permanently borrowing_ ' some things.

 _Crap._

This then led to the store manager finding out. And as fate would have it, he decided to confront the teen about it, in the _not-so-intelligent_ way of screaming into his face. But, after all the screaming and cursing, it was only until the man threatened to call the cops did Danny finally have enough, punching- _high fiving-_ the man in the face, proceeding to break his nose.

 _Shit._

So, with alarm bells ringing in his head, _and in the store_ , Danny made a break for the door, throwing it open as he stumbled onto the street, sharp slaps of cold wind meeting his face as it blew his hair back. Quickly spinning on his heel, he turned down the street, intent on running as far as he could, only to run into something hard. Blinking a few times in confusion, he took a step back and met the gaze of an angry officer.

 _Piss Waffles!_

So those were the events that led him to where he was now, running down the street as fast as he could as an officer chased after him. _Super._

Nevertheless, the teen continued to run, stealing glances behind him every once in a while, noticing the officer trying and failing to catch up with him. He felt a small, almost nonexistent smirk fall onto his face. _So much for staying out of trouble_. He teased to himself, Batman's words relaying in his mind.

It had been a few weeks since his second encounter with the Dark Knight, and it had led to a third, fourth, and fifth encounter with him...more like Danny would show up whenever the man was staking out operations or patrolling, and it would take tons of coaxing to send the teen away, _coaxing_ meaning _food._

This had led the Dark Knight to carrying more supplies of food than usual, for it was either feed the kid, or endure his torturous comments for the entire night, or until he threw him off the roof. _Relax,_ he always walked away unscathed...most of the time.

Unfortunately, the smirk on Danny's face quickly disappeared as his foot rammed into a piece of uneven cement, sending him sprawling onto the ground, his ankle twisting painfully underneath his weight. He let out a cry of pain as he quickly brought his hand to hover over the injured limb.

 _Shit Cakes!_

His eyes darted back up as heavy footfall approached, a sweaty cop breathing heavily as he stopped in front of the teen.

Danny felt a small twinge of fear creep into his heart as the man stared down at him, a content sneer adorning his face. "Thought you could run from me, huh?" He called down, gazing at Danny with a condescending smirk. "Pathetic. I love locking up _filth_ like you. Now you get to rot in a cell where you truly belong, ya _freak_."

The fear quickly froze over, melting into something else...something much _darker_.

Before the cop could even reach down to handcuff him, Danny had sprung onto his feet, ignoring the flare of pain that erupted in his foot in favor of punching the cop in the face. The man shouted in pain as he brought his hand up to his now bleeding nose. He never even saw when Danny leapt over him and grabbed his arm, twisting it painfully behind his back.

It wasn't until he heard a blood-curdling _crack,_ followed by a loud scream that Danny finally let go. He watched as the cop curled up onto the ground, cradling his broken arm in his grip as he screamed. Danny glared at him in disgust before driving a hard kick to the man's shoulder, eliciting another shriek in pain.

He walked around to stand right beside the man. Lifting his good foot, he slowly brought it down onto the man's arm, the cop roaring in pain as the shattered bone was pressed harder and harder into the ground. Through tear-filled eyes, the man looked at the teen with fear in his eyes. "Y-you're crazy!" He shouted.

Danny curled his lips into a grin. "You say that like it's a bad thing." He growled, kicking the arm before removing his foot. He glared down, fury in his eyes as he grabbed the cop's shirt collar, pulling him closer. Leaning down, the two came nose to nose as Danny's eyes glowed a violent green. "Now, you filthy piece of shit, do yourself a favor and forget this face." He snarled before delivering a hard kick to the man's head, the cop slumping on the ground as he lost consciousness.

The burning in his eyes made Danny aware of their change in color. Quickly shutting his eyes tightly, he tried to calm his racing heart and churning stomach. Finally, after a moment, he felt his heartbeat return to normal. Letting out a small breath of relief, he felt his eyes melt back into an icy blue.

He quickly rushed into the shadows of a nearby alley, climbing up the fire escape until he made his way onto the roof. He ran a hand through his hair as he took a deep breath. He hadn't gotten angry like that in a while. It felt...different.

He quickly tried to shrug off the feeling as he noticed the adrenaline rushing away, the pain in his ankle quickly returning. The cold wind began to wrap around him once more as he took a seat next to the edge of the roof, resting his back against the ridge.

He wrapped his arms around his knees as he dropped his head, his body beginning to shiver, something telling him it wasn't just the cold that caused it. He sighed and lifted his tired eyes, making out the silhouette of a figure swinging from building to building, never slowing, never stopping. He furrowed his brow in thought as he turned his gaze around, making out the time on the large clock in the middle of Gotham Tower.

 _11:00 p.m. Time to mess with Batman_

He winced as he rose to his feet, wishing nothing more than to just sleep his exhaustion off on the roof. Yet, the chill that still lingered in the air told him that wasn't the best idea. He tried not to take notice of the new police cruisers that were arriving on the scene as he leapt off the rooftop, rolling onto the next one, trying and failing to ignore the flares of pain in his foot.

Nevertheless, he pushed on. Leaping from the roofs, he watched as the silhouette landed on one of the farther buildings, stopping and crouching by the edge. Danny felt a small smile of relief creep onto his face as he continued to leap from rooftop to rooftop before slowing, coming across the same rooftop the man was perched upon.

Silently taking one more leap, he landed softly on the ceiling. He limped over, placing his hands on the ridge of the roof, taking a deep breath as he gazed out at the city below him. Batman stood next to him, binoculars raised to his face as he stared at something in the distance.

He never averted his gaze as Danny appeared, feeling a silent sigh build up in his chest. It had only been a matter of time before the kid appeared anyway.

Danny placed his elbows onto the edge as he turned towards the man. "Got any food?"

Batman stayed silent as he reached into his belt with one hand, throwing a small bag of trail mix towards the teen, who gave a small whoop of excitement. The Dark Knight rolled his eyes behind the binoculars as the delinquent began to scarf down the food. Removing the device from his face, Batman turned his head, noticing the teen was favoring one leg over another.

"What happened?" He asked, raising a brow in response.

Said teen shrugged his shoulders. "What hasn't happened?"

Batman sighed. "What was it this time? Running from an angry pedestrian, running from an angry thug, or running from an angry cop?"

"The third one."

The Dark Knight shook his head in exasperation before walking over, motioning for the teen to take a seat. Danny rolled his eyes before complying, knowing better than to try and argue against the Dark Knight; why he still did it, nobody knew. Rolling up the scrapped jeans, Batman narrowed his eyes at the injury. The skin around the teen's ankle was swollen, a mix of deep reds mingled with purple spread across the limb.

Reaching behind him, he pulled out a roll of gauze. "Did you _run_ here?" He asked incredulously as he began to wrap the injury.

Danny shrugged. "Ran, leaped...whatever you want to call it."

Batman rolled his eyes. "Twitlet." He muttered under his breath as he finished up. Replacing the gauze with a bottle of pills, he grabbed Danny's wrist and lifted it up, opening the palm. Placing two blue pills into the teen's hand, he pushed it back towards him. "Swallow." He ordered.

Danny scoffed before downing the pills. He watched as Batman moved back over to the rooftop edge, eyes narrowed behind his mask as he stared out at the street alley below them. Danny strode over as well, casting a curious glance down the alley before turning back to the man. "So...are you here for something, or are you just living up to the _Creepiest Superhero_ name?"

The Dark Knight restrained the sigh as he kept his gaze focused. "There have been some recent hints of a drug operation going on here. They've just recently started to involve themselves in illegal weapons smuggling as well. This particular ring had been going on for a while, seeing as how the main dealer never shows for meetings. He always sends his backups, the expendables. But tonight, a big shipment is being delivered, and dealers are always present for those." He explained, Danny listening intently as he stole another glance down the alley.

The teen furrowed his brow as he turned back to the man. "How long have you been staking it out?" He asked.

"Few hours. I just did a sweep of the surrounding street to see if there were any guards posted. So far, I haven't seen anything. That either means they aren't here yet, or they aren't done." Batman stated.

Danny rested his head on his fist as he cast a bored expression towards the street. "Why not just throw a brick through the window and see if anybody runs out?" He asked, picking up one of the bare bricks piled in the corner of the building. "You'll either hit one of them in the head, catch their attention...or just break a window. All three of those seem acceptable to me."

Batman facepalmed as he growled in annoyance. "What's _wrong_ with you?" He half-muttered to himself.

Danny grinned as he folded his arms. "You want the list alphabetically or in order of my most charming characteristics?"

The Dark Knight glanced at the ground below them. _It's not that far down. He won't get_ that _hurt if he "fell"._

Danny chuckled a the man's murderous gaze, wrapping his arms around the man's shoulders. "That's not a very smart thing to ask here, Batsy. If you're going to question every weirdo in this city, you're in for a _long_ night."

Batman felt a growl leave his throat as he unclipped the teen from his shoulders and unceremoniously dropped him to the floor with a _thump._ Danny rolled his eyes with a small smirk on his face as he watched Batman move back over to the ledge, scanning the streets below them intently.

The kid folded his arms behind his head as he leaned against the ledge, crossing one leg over another as he bobbed his foot to the rhythm of nonexistent music. After a few minutes of calm silence, Danny cracked an eye open as s distant whooshing filled his ears. Blinking in confusion, he raised his head as a shape in the sky slowly began to move closer and closer.

He narrowed his eyes and slowly stood up, walking back over to Batman, who merely gave the shape a side glance before turning back to the alley. Danny, on the other hand, kept his eyes locked on the figure as it flew closer until it began to become clear.

He let out a long sigh tired sigh as he rolled his head to turn to the Dark Knight. "Seriously?" He asked with a small glare.

Batman smirked slightly as he turned back up to watch Superman land softly on the building. The caped crusader took notice of the way Danny shuffled closer to him, sliding into an almost defensive stance as he stared at the Man of Steel.

"Batman, you said you needed to talk to me about some-" Superman started, only to stop as he noticed the teenager that stood behind the Dark Knight. He had messy black hair and shockingly blue eyes. His clothes were tattered and ripped, and his arms were folded across his chest in a defensive manner.

Superman furrowed his brow as he motioned towards the stranger. "Who's the kid?"

Almost immediately, the teen's demeanor changed in a black and white difference. A wide smirk spread onto his face as he strode over. "Oh, I'm just someone Batsy decided to babysit. Don't know why, it's obviously going to drive him mad." He grinned, leaning against the Man of Steel's shoulder as he batted his eyes innocently.

Superman glanced at the teen for a moment before turning to Batman, who held his head in his hand while the other sat on his hip. "Ignore him." He finally growled out as the red and blue clad man walked over, standing beside him as they stared down at the alley. "You know that drug deal that's been spreading to Metropolis?"

Superman grimaced before nodding grimly. "Yeah, I've been trying to find that thing for weeks. The weapons they sell really pack a punch, even to me."

Batman nodded before motioning down the alley. "Well the main source is in there now, along with his other major points." He explained.

The Man of Steel narrowed his eyes as he glared back down at the building below them. He opened his mouth to say something, only to stop as a hand slapped his back. He blinked in surprise as he turned his head, watching as the teen from before poked his head in between him and Batman, arm around both men's shoulders. "Aren't you two cute together? And they say Batman doesn't have any friends."

Batman threw the teen a murderous look as his fingers twitched, obviously wanting to throttle the kid. Superman eyes the teen once more. "How old are you?" He asked. From his thin frame, it wasn't easy to tell the kid's age, especially since his clothes hung off of him, baggy and limp.

Danny scoffed as he waved his hand in the air dismissively. "Oh, I'm twenty seven, but I have a rare disease called _SmartMouth_ - _itis_ that keeps me looking like an adorable fourteen-year old forever." He grinned before walking to the other side of the roof, leaving the two heroes to themselves as he hoisted himself up onto the ledge, proceeding to entertain himself by walking along the ledge on his hands as he did a handstand.

Superman cast the teen one last look before turning back to Batman, who was trying to remain calm and collected. "Alright, spill. What's the deal with the kid over there?" He asked, unease running through him as he watched the kid balancing off the edge of the building like it was nothing.

Batman let out a long sigh. "His name is Danny. I met him a few weeks back after saving him from the Joker." He started, walking back over to the edge of the building as he scanned the road once more. "He's an opportunist with a twisted moral compass." He added, turning back towards the teen. "And he's a little idiot."

Superman furrowed his brow. "And you're bothering with him... _why_?" He asked.

Batman narrowed his eyes before turning towards the Man of Steel. "He gets himself into a lot more trouble than he should. He normally finds _me_ and sticks around until he gets bored. But I've figured...the more time he spends talking to me, the less time he has to get himself killed." He growled out.

Superman turned towards the kid once more, watching as he leapt off of the ledge and landed back onto the roof. Before he could ask anymore, the sound of a door opening caught all three of their attentions. Quickly quieting down, they moved over to the edge of the roof, watching as people began to spill out of the building, barely making a sound as a large collection of cars slowly pulled into the alley

A group of large men, presumably bodyguards, quickly created a path from the door to the opening cars as another group of figures exited the building. They wore clean suits and slicked-back hair, not at all like the others around them.

Batman narrowed his eyes as he turned around to glare at Danny. "Sit, stay and shut up." He growled out before leaping off of the roof, Superman quickly following. Danny rolled his eyes before cupping his hands to his mouth. "Yes, _Master_!" He shouted down to the man, who had effectively caused the dealers to scream in shock.

Danny watched from the roof as Batman landed on one of the guards shoulders with a sickening _crack_ , the man crumpling to the ground as Batman leapt to another one. Pulling out a batarang, he hurled it through the air, knocking out the gleaming pistols that a few of the men had recently pulled out, eliciting shouts of pain as they dropped the weapons.

Batman swept the legs of one while throwing him back into another, taking out men left and right as he flowed through the motions flawlessly. Danny turned his head as he noticed a bright flash of red. Superman dove down towards the ground, avoiding the guns as they fired bright red blasts into the air.

Danny leapt away as a particular stray blast hit the roof ledge, spraying debris everywhere. He shook his head before tentatively leaning back over to watch. Superman flew down and grabbed the gun with one hand, driving a hard punch to the man as he did, knocking him backwards.

Crushing the gun in his hands, he dropped the trashed metal to the ground as another blast zoomed by his head. He growled in annoyance and flew back into the air, firing a bright blast of his own from his eyes, effectively melting the device in the perp's hands.

Suddenly, he let out a cry of pain as one particular blast made contact with his shoulder. He crouched down onto the ground and raised a hand to hover over the injury, eyes widening as the barrel of one of the blasters was aimed at his head.

But before he could pull the trigger, the man screamed in pain as a large red brick sailed down from above them and nailed him in the head, sending him crumpling to the ground. Superman blinked in surprise as he stepped back and furrowed his brow, glancing up to see Danny leaning over the edge of the roof, tossing a brick casually in his hand, a devious grin in his face.

Superman gave a smile of his own. "Nice throw." He called to him.

Danny shrugged. "Not really. I was aiming at _your_ head." He called as he fired another brick, this time at one of Batman's goons, said man smirking slightly at the teen's comment.

After a few minutes of bright red lasers, gleaming batarangs, and heavy bricks flying through the air, the battle slowly drew to a stop as Batman finished up the last guy, dropping him to the ground, where Danny threw a brick at the thug's hand, effectively crushing the limb under the heavy weight.

Batman tossed a glare up to the teen. "Was that really necessary?" He called.

Danny grinned. "Yeah, do you know how hard it is to do anything with a broken hand?" He paused for a minute in thought before leaning back over the edge once more, a large grin on his face. "Want me to break the other one?" He shouted in excitement.

"No!" Batman growled in exasperation, earning a loud _aww_ from the teen above him as he began to climb the fire escape to meet the two superheroes below. He lingered in the shadows as he stood still on the last step for a moment as he realized Superman was now speaking the man in front of him, his voice hushed as he did so.

"Alright, Batman. Knowing full well you could have handled this by yourself, I get the feeling this wasn't what you called me for."

The black clad man narrowed his eyes before nodding. "I've just gotten word Lex Luthor has recently made his presence known in Gotham."

Superman furrowed his brow. "Luthor? Here? What would he want here?"He asked, gazing around at the run-down buildings and dark alleyways. "Doesn't really scream billionaire hangout." He stated, smirking slightly as he folded his arms over his chest. "Well...maybe for _some_." He joked, not at all surprised when Batman's face remained stoic as ever.

"Exactly, which means he wants something here. And judging from past experience, it's not anything good." Batman growled out, Superman nodding in agreement. The two quickly silence as Danny loudly jumped down from the last step of the fire escape, making it seem like he had just climbed down, never hearing the conversation the two had just held.

The teen grinned as he carefully stepped around the limp bodies of the thugs and cronies scattered around the area. He placed his fists to his hips as he gave Batman a disapproving stare. "Didn't anyone ever teach you manners, Basty? It's not polite to leave your trash lying around." He scolded, glancing around at the filth that were now groaning in pain around the alley.

Batman rolled his eyes before reaching down towards his belt, pressing a small button on the side. Almost immediately, the Batmobile came roaring down the street, stopping in front of the three. Batman quickly leapt into his seat, glancing at Superman as he did so. "Meet me at the cave." He instructed, the man nodding in understanding as he flew into the air, casting Danny once last glance before flying away, wondering how Batman handle it.

Danny knocked on the side of the vehicle as he cast Batman a longing gaze. The man rolled his eyes before digging into his belt once more, tossing the kid a bag filled with almonds, pecans and cashews. The teen grinned as he lifted his gaze once more. "You the best, Batsy!" He called.

The Dark Knight rolled his eyes. "And you're the _worst_ , twitlet." He sniped, closing the hatch as the Batmobile zoomed out of view, the roaring sound of the engine echoing in Danny's ears, quickly being replaced by the sound of approaching police sirens.

His stomach churned as the sound brought the memory of an arm shattering under his foot back to his mind, making his throat close as he gazed down at the bag in his hands. He let out a small sigh.

"Yeah...I guess I am."

Quickly, he climbed the fire escape once more and rolled onto the roof, quickly disappearing into the cold night air as the thugs slowly opened their eyes to the sight of flashing blue and red lights.

* * *

 **Well...The Man of Steel met the Teen of Terror...and it went exactly how you'd expect. XD**

 **Anyway, thanks to these people for favoriting and/or following: _Jaddis, OilWar, Shycheetah, xForeverGamerx, B. -Chan, Dark D Phoenix, Fantasty-Mania31, Fuckingqueenofhell, Hoytti, Karlos1234ify, Lizzie2145, Rosie Vulpes, SarahAmber, Shadowhuntersdeath, ShiraYukiShadow, ShockWing, Snaked, Italylikespasta12, poseidinschild721, Cyber-Porygon, Fallenangel5342, Lanelle, Naluforever3, , curry-llama, reader238, Baelfire3713, Brie45, Gentle-Valera-Fox, GranGlasses, Miss Sugar Unicorn, SashaThePhoenixPony, Vanyell, deverest, Aexroh, Soluna Skystar, NieEngel, EvilSplitPersona, God ofthe Challenge, LokidottirBlack, William152, Annebeth Chase, Dragonknight-Flameis, JellyB3ll, The King's Knight_**

 **Reviews:**

 **gwencarson126: THANKS SO MUCH**

 **Fuckingqueenofhell: Thanks, I want to make this story something readers can laugh at. You know, give them a boost of happiness if I can.**

 **Marisandini: Yeah, Danny tries to stay on his toes most of the time, never really letting someone know if they get to him. Oh, and Jack isn't a rapist. He's merely an abusive father due to his grief and alcohol addiction. And don't worry, you'll get to see Danny for his full potential soon. Batman wouldn't bring him down, he would probably build him up. And seriously, do you see Danny actually agreeing to being a sidekick?**

 **ShiraYukiShadow: While I do have to agree with what you say, I still stick by my opinion. I love the rest of the Bat-fam, but it's kind of like movies and their sequels. Some sequels can be kick-action awesome, but they are always... _sequels._ it's hard to beat the original. **

**Fear the Fuzzy Bear: OMG! I love the Abused. It's one of my favorite stories ever. I'm not too familiar with that other one. I'll have to give it a read sometime.**

 **Kimera20: Yeah, I would flip if I got to ride in the Batmobile**

 **reader238: snarky Danny is best Danny**

 **curry-llama: okay...don't really see how a costume could do that...but i don't think you have to worry. I don't plan on really changing it.**

 **Natzi Sumbith: Sorry, I'm not too accustomed to really writing in...crazy.**

 **Carly3670: I've watched a bit of Young Justice. I like the show, but I probably won't make a story out of it. For some reason, I don't really connect with the characters as much as I do with other shows like Justice League and Danny Phantom.**

 **Anyway, stay tuned for the next installment of...**

 **Under The Wings!**


	6. Chapter 6: Alarms

**Chapter 6: Alarms**

Danny cursed quietly as he jerked his hand back, waving it in the air before placing the tip of his finger in his mouth. He cast a glare at the small device in his hand before removing his finger as he picked up the screwdriver once more, careful not to cause another spark.

He had no idea what he was making, but to be honest, he didn't really care. It never matters what he was building, he always ended up getting lost in thought anyway. His fingers flew along the wires as he connected them together and/or to different circuits.

He flinched slightly as another crack of lightning flashed outside, followed by a loud rumble of thunder. He shook his head before delving back into his work. The dark clouds that sat thick in the sky cast long shadows around the already gray city. Thick black drops of water fell from the sky, clinging to everything as they dripped. It had been a few days since Danny had met the Man of Steel, and it had been pouring ever since. It had also been a few days since Danny had heard the small snippet of information that had slipped between the two heroes, and he couldn't stop thinking about it.

He might not be totally caught up with the most current news, but he knew a couple things about Lex Luthor. He was rich, bald and bad news.

Every once in awhile, Danny would stumble into a coffee shop and notice the news report flashing on the TV's up ahead, hearing another one of Lex Luthor's foiled plans. Then, one week later, he would be out and scheming again.

Stupid justice system.

Anyway, he might not know much, but he knew Luthor wasn't one to take lightly. And if he was here in Gotham, that meant big trouble for Batman.

Danny felt a grow rise in his throat as he ripped a wire out harder than needed. Why the hell was he _worried?_ Why was he worried about anybody other than himself? He let out a sigh and ran a hand through his thick black hair. _No,_ he wouldn't get caught in that net again. This trap of _connections_. He was beginning to break rule number one of living on the streets once more: never trouble yourself with others when you can barely care for yourself.

He had already bent the rules to compensate for Sam and Tucker, and that was pushing it. There were too many failed attempts at _connections_ to allow anymore, and Danny knew this. So why did he let Batman _connect._

Danny's thoughts quickly morphed to his second piece of worry. The time was getting close to migrate to a new city. Start over; forget any ties and move on.

Yet, every time he thought about leaving the rank and depressing city, he felt a sharp stab in his gut that made him want to hurl. Even through those sick feelings, it was hard to ignore the _alarms_ that were beginning to sound in the back of his mind, the same alarms that always sounded, warning him of whenever he was breaking more rules. Those same alarms had kept him alive for fourteen years, and they had never steered him wrong before.

So why was he ignoring the alarms that were sounding now?

He swallowed the bile that began to rise in his throat and shut his eyes, resting his head on the back of the wooden chair, slowly realizing a growing migraine was beginning to bloom. _Awesome_.

In the background, the soft chatter of the police scanner rang out around the room, filling the empty air. Danny had kept the scanner on for a few days now, feeling the itching irritation growing in him of not knowing what was happening. He hated being out of the loop, even though there were some times where the loop wasn't even visible in his line of sight anymore. He had only ever used the scanner a few times per city, making sure to keep tabs on things around the cities, making sure _they_ were never too close. But now, he was keeping his ears open for anything mentioning Batman, Luthor or the Justice League.

Danny's fingers twitched against the cold metal of the device as he thought of the _Cape Club_. The only reason he even knew who they were was because of the news reports he would see, and the chatter on the police scanner he heard every now and then. He never asked Batman about them, for he had no urge to _know_ anything about them. They were heroes, and to the people that mattered, he was a criminal. He still had lingering thoughts every once in a while as to how the Dark Knight hadn't locked him up yet.

He felt his muscles tense as his thoughts swirled around the subject. He knew if Batman ever found out the truth about him, or at least, the truth _they_ wanted others to know about him, then everything would fall apart. He knew he would be able to escape if he had to, but the sharp jab that erupted in his heart at the thought of fighting the man made his fingers begin to shake.

He felt a growl rise in the back of his throat. "Quit being stupid, Fenton." He snarled quietly to himself as he pressed his fingers tighter into the device.

 _I can beat him if I wanted to._ He mentally berated himself. _It would be easy, like snapping an arm._

The metal began to bend underneath his grip.

 _He doesn't care for me. Why shouldn't I return the favor?_

Circuits split and sparked angrily.

 _I'm just some stupid kid to him. And he's just like everybody else. He is. He IS!_

Jagged metal began to dig into his skin, crimson pearls rolling down his hand.

 _He can't help me._

Sirens blared, flashing lights shining behind his eyes, which were quickly melting into a liquid green.

 _WHAT'S THERE TO HELP?!_

Danny let out a roar of rage as he stood up and hurled the device at the wall, metal exploding across the room as it rolled along the ground, circuits flashing for brief moments before dying. His chest heaved up and down as he fought for breath, balled hands shaking at his sides. His eyes burned brightly as they glared at the wall where the device had hit. He huffed angrily as he raised his hand, gruffly wiping away the moisture from his eyes.

He shut his eyes and took a deep breath, feeling his heartbeat slowly return to its normal pace. A small rumble of thunder brought him back to the waking world. Opening his ice-blue eyes once more, he walked over to the corner of the room and picked up a near-empty bottle of pills from the "Treasure Pile". Popping two of the pills into his mouth, he grimly noticed he would need to get more pain-killers soon.

Glancing outside, he noticed the rain was beginning to lighten. He sighed and made his way over to the window, deciding to go and try to clear his head. Crawling outside, he felt light drops of water fall onto his skin, rolling down his face. The air was heavy with the thick scent of rain as he began to climb the fire escape next to the building.

Stepping out onto the rooftop, Danny felt the wind blow past him, brushing his hair across his face. The dark clouds shrouded the sky in black, hiding the moon behind the thick veil. Taking a seat by the edge of the roof, he let his feet hang over the side as he stared out at the city. Taking note of the time, Danny decided to stay put, not really feeling it in him to talk with the Dark Knight.

He slowly let out a breath, closing his eyes as he let the wind swirl around him. He took notice of the small noises scattered throughout the city. The cars that occasionally sped by, the garbage blowing by on the sidewalks, the cats that ran from alley to alley. Danny relished in the sounds, relishing in the fact that it wasn't totally silent in the city.

He had never liked the quiet before.

But it wasn't long until Danny's eyes were forced open. Blinking in surprise, his head turned towards the bright green light that had woken him. Next to the glowing figure was another with large brown wings, something metallic shining in their hand.

Danny huffed and rolled his eyes, resting his head on his fist. _Great, more members of the Cape Club_. He thought to himself. Suddenly, as he watched the two figures land on a nearby building rooftop, he felt a small twinge of curiosity. He might not know to much about the man, but Danny had spent enough time with Batman to realize the man wouldn't appreciate others trespassing in his city without good reason

The mental debate that took place in Danny's mind took a total of seven seconds before the teen decided to go and check out what was happening.

After a few minutes of scraped knees, rusty fire escapes and perilous, idiotic jumps from one rooftop to another, Danny finally found himself a building away from what appeared to be a big party. Batman held a pair of binoculars as he stared down at the building doors below them. Flash and Wonder Woman stood on opposite sides of him, Hawkgirl paced back and forth behind them, while Superman, Green Lantern and the martian hovered in the air above them.

Danny bit his lip as he felt his fingers twitch before finally deciding to turn invisible. Quickly making his way over to the group, he dropped the invisibility as he scooted behind a large air conditioning vent. He took a deep breath and focused on his hearing once more.

"You _sure_ they're going to be here, Bats?" Flash asked, a yawn escaping his lips as he gazed down at the closed museum doors below.

Batman cast a glare at the speedster before turning back towards the building. "I'm _sure._ " He growled.

"But what do they even want here?" Hawkgirl asked.

Danny furrowed his brow as he listened in. _They? Who the hell's they?_ He wondered. Only Lex Luthor had been mentioned before. So who were they talking about now? Nevertheless, the teen closed his eyes and tuned back into the conversation.

"...new museum exhibit with rare and mysterious crystals and stones, one of the newest ones being a rare element known as Cycerian, which just happens to be one of the key components to creating artificial kryptonite." Batman explained in a grave tone.

Lantern folded his arms over his chest. "Which I'm sure Luthor would _love_ to get his hands on." He groaned.

Suddenly, they stopped as a bright pink flash of light could be seen from inside the museum. Superman narrowed his eyes as he turned back to the others. "I think that's our cue."

"Then let's not keep them waiting." Wonder Woman growled as the Amazonian flew towards the building, the others quickly following.

Danny tumbled out of his hiding spot a moment later, gazing at the spot where the heroes had once been. He hesitated for a moment before moving over to the edge of the roof, watching as the heroes disappeared inside the building. He hummed in thought for a moment before letting out a sigh. "This has to be about the fifth stupidest thing you've ever done, Fenton." He growled as he turned invisible once more and made his way down the fire escape, the museum his new destination.

* * *

"I swear, Luthor. This better not be like before." Star Sapphire growled as she folded her arms over her chest.

The man rolled his eyes as they stared into the room before them. In the center, there lay a large silver crystal atop a pedestal. Luthor smirked as he gazed at the crystal before turning back to the others behind him. "It won't be. This time, you're being paid quadruple."

The woman turned towards the others surrounding her, including Solomon Grundy, Shade and Copperhead as they all shared large grins at the prospect of cash. "Besides, we didn't just come to Gotham for the crystal. We also had to meet some new additions." Luthor added, gesturing with his hand towards the shadowed corner of the hallway.

The group stared at the shadows before two figures became visible. One was a woman with bright red hair and dark green vines wrapped around her arms and legs. The other was a woman in a red and black jester's outfit, a large grin on her face as she swung her mallet onto her shoulder. "Hello boys!" She called, waving her hand high in the air.

Sapphire smirked as she gazed at the newcomers. "Glad to know I'm not the only competent one anymore."

Poison Ivy grinned as she brushed her hands over the plants that were now beginning to rise up from the floor. "I know how you feel." She sneered, casting a glance over to Copperhead and Grundy, who were now crowding around Harley.

Shade moved over to Luthor, narrowing his eyes at the newcomers. "Seriously, Luthor? Haven't we already had enough of one clown? We don't need the other."

Luthor glared at the man. "No, but we do need her partner." He growled, motioning towards Ivy. "And _she_ said it was a package deal. So _deal_ with it." He snarled, turning back to gaze at the crystal, wondering what the best approach was in obtaining it without tripping any alarms.

Copperhead gazed at the clown, a confused look plastered onto his face. "Weren't you just booked into jail?" He asked.

Harley shrugged. "Yeah, but it helps to have friends in high places!" She grinned, throwing an arm over Ivy's shoulder, the woman patting the clown on the head. "I bet they still haven't fixed that hole in the wall." Harley chuckled before turning back to Luthor. "Hey, baldy! Umm..we _do_ get that money too, right?"

Luthor waved her off. "Yes, yes, you'll all get your money, ya' vultures. Now will you all _shut up_ so I can actually concentrate?!" He snarled at them.

The group shared annoyed looks with each other at the man's words. Nevertheless, they watched with doubtful eyes as Luthor approached the crystal.

Suddenly, a red blur quickly circled around them, corralling them together before stopping, revealing the Flash, smugly grinning as he waved. "Aww...you guys having a party in here?"

"Mind if we crash it?" Superman asked as he flew down, ramming his fist into Grundy's face, sending the zombie hurtling backwards. The appearance of the other heroes snapped the villains out of their shocked trances as they leapt to attack.

Grundy let out a roar of rage as Superman flew down once more. Grabbing the man's cape, he swung him over his shoulder and slammed him into the ground, ramming his fist into the newly formed crater. As he continued to pummel the hole, he felt something grab hold of his fist.

Grunting in confusion, Grundy watched as Superman stood once more, hurling his fist into the zombie's face once more, sending him into one of the nearby walls. Flying back up into the air, he felt his eyes begin to burn as he fired them, Grundy screaming in pain. The zombie snarled in rage as he reached his hands out, hoping to grab onto anything to hurl at the man. His decaying fingers met the hard stone of nearby debris as he chucked it at the man.

Superman dove to the ground as he narrowly missed the projectile, only to feel Grundy barrel into him, sending the two of them tumbling together onto the floor.

Above them, Star Sapphire and Green Lantern exchanged blasts, green meeting pink as the two swerved and dove underneath each other's attacks. Lantern grunted as one particular blast sent him barreling into the back wall. Opening his eyes once more, he gasped as another pink blast shot towards his head.

Diving toward the ground, he flipped onto his back and pointed his ring towards the ceiling above the woman's head. Firing a bright green blast above her, the shot exploded on impact, sending a mound of debris and stone towards the woman. Sapphire gasped and swerved around the oncoming stones, only to feel a strong blast hit her in the chest, sending her shooting towards the ground, Lantern quickly following behind.

Across the room, Copperhead lunged for J'onn, letting out an annoyed huff as the martian turned intangible, causing the man to leap right through him. His tail flicked back and forth in agitation as he reared back once more, only to watch as the man's body began to morph into that of a large red dragon.

He gulped and smiled nervously as the dragon lunged. Leaping out of the way, he gasped as large claws slammed into the ground where he had been moments before. "Anybody want to trade with me?!" Copperhead screamed as he leapt out of the way of a large red tail as it swung towards him. The silence that followed his question gave him his answer.

Down below, Flash circled around Shade, the wind whipping and swirling violently around the man as the speedster encircled him. Narrowing his eyes, Shade lifted his staff, a large plume of darkness erupting from it as it engulfed the speeding shape.

Flash let out a gasp of shock as he felt himself be surrounded by the black, his muscles freezing as he was engulfed. Shade grinned as he watched the man struggle against his hold only to feel something hard and metallic slam into his head, sending him stumbling to the ground. Glaring back up, he watched as Hawkgirl reared her mace back once more, slamming it down on the tile floor right as the man rolled away.

Retracting the dark from Flash, he fired it at the woman, eliciting a shout of shock as it engulfed her. Flash narrowed his eyes and raced over, snatching the staff from his hands as he snapped it over his knee. Shade watched the pieces clatter to the ground before casting a nervous grin at the two heroes.

Suddenly, large green vines sprouted from the ground, wrapping around Hawkgirl's waist, hoisting her up into the air. Flash gasped and quickly zipped to the side as another vine tried to do the same to him. Quickly sprinting to the other side of the room, he twisted around and doubled back, reaching out for Hawkgirl, only to have a vine curl around his legs, sending him tumbling to the ground.

Quickly, the two vines lifted the heroes into the air as they kicked and struggled against them. Poison Ivy grinned as she walked forward, a malicious glint in her eyes. Suddenly, a bright gold tiara tore through the air, slamming into the woman's head, earning a loud yelp of pain.

Glaring behind her, she watched as Wonder Woman caught the spinning crown, placing it back atop her head. Narrowing her eyes, Ivy lifted her arms, matching vines following her actions as they shot towards the Amazonian. Wonder Woman flew into the air, watching as the plants followed her. Diving towards the ground, she flew past Poison Ivy, the plants stopping short of hitting her.

That was enough of a distraction for the woman to tackle the villain to the ground, the two wrestling for dominance as they fought. Finally, Wonder Woman slammed her elbow into the woman's shoulder, a loud shout of pain escaping her lips.

Suddenly, a large mallet hit the Amazonian in the shoulder, sending her tumbling backwards. Harley glared at her as she rested her mallet back onto her shoulder, only to feel someone kick her to the floor. Glaring back up, she watched as Batman landed on the ground before her. He gazed at her with an annoyed look. "Didn't I just throw you in jail?"

The clown grinned. "Ya' did." She said, swinging her mallet at the man, who leapt out of range. "But it helps to have friends!" She screamed, rearing her mallet once more, only to have a golden lasso wrap around her arms, causing the mallet to crash to the floor. "Yeah, it does." Batman said as he watched Wonder Woman fly into the air, clown in tow as she tied the end of the lasso to one of the railings above them.

Harley shouted a few curses to the pair as they leapt back into battle, swinging in the air as she tried and failed to escape her confines.

Unbeknownst to any of those below, there was a scrawny teen watching from the rafters, eyes wary as he scanned the battle ensuing below him. Danny sighed as he rested his head on one of the metal railings behind him. "You'd think a brawl like this would be enough to curb my boredom. Well, silly me." He grumbled to himself as he felt a yawn building up in his chest. "Only the Cape Club would find a way to make violent fighting boring."

Suddenly, he noticed there was one particularly bald person missing from the group below. Scanning the crowd, he noticed the man off to the side, slowly making his way towards the back door. Narrowing his eyes, he watched as Harley took notice of the man as well. "Hey, baldy! What about our money?" She shouted from her confines.

Luthor smirked at her. "Relax, you'll get it...if you get out of here, that is." He added with a smirk as he reached into his pocket. Danny's eyes widened as he realized what it was, quickly leaping to his feet.

Luthor's eyes scanned the battle, noticing his allies were quickly being overpowered. Narrowing his eyes, he turned to watch Star Sapphire be blown backwards, sliding on the ground towards him. Slowly getting back up, he reached down and grabbed the woman's shoulder. Whispering something into her ear, Danny watched as the two nodded.

Batman narrowed his eyes as he took notice of the two villains smirking in the corner. The other Leaguers quickly took notice as well, watching as those who hadn't already been incapacitated sprint towards the door, hoping to escape before the Leaguers could follow suit. Quickly charging towards the door, the Leaguers blinked in shock as Luthor hurled something at the ceiling above them, Star Sapphire quickly firing a bright pink blast at the device, creating a large explosion above them.

"GET BACK!" Batman screamed, watching as the ceiling exploded above them, large boulders and shredded metal rafters creaking and screaming in protest as they began to rain down. The building creaked and shook as everything began to cave in around them.

Danny felt his heart stop beating as he watched the large pieces of debris hurtling towards the Dark Knight as he pushed the others back. His fingers curled around the metal railings as he leaned closer, his mind going into overdrive as time slowed. Silence surrounded him, the constant thumping of his heartbeat enclosing around him. He felt his eyes beginning to glow green as his muscles tensed. The _alarms_ that were beginning to blare in his head were quickly drowned out by the screaming fear in his gut as he watched the boulders falling closer and closer to the one man he actually felt something for.

Leaping forward, he felt the wind whip around him as his body became cold, icy tendrils spreading throughout his body as bright white rings appeared at his sides, traveling up and down his body, transforming his ratty gray T-shirt and torn jeans into a black and white jumpsuit, stark white hair falling into his electric-green eyes as time clicked back on, the world un-muted, and the _alarms_ exploded in cacophony.

The Leaguers gasped as they watched the large pieces of debris rain down around the Dark Knight before shrouding him from their view. "Batman!" Superman shouted as he took a step forward, only to real back as more and more pieces of the ceiling and walls showered around them. J'onn quickly flew up and removed Harley from the lasso's grip before diving back down, Lantern encasing them all in a large green dome as the building collapsed entirely.

A moment of silence passed before a large pile of rocks was blasted away by a green shot. Quickly pushing the rocks aside, Superman helped the others clear the rocks away before they all perked up as they noticed their missing teammate.

"Where's Batman?" Flash asked, worry evident in his voice as he quickly zoomed farther off, inspecting one pile before zooming to another. "Do any of you see him?" He called. The others quickly began to fly around what used to be the building, calling the man's name as they searched.

Suddenly, the sound of shifting rocks caught their attention. Quickly flying over, they watched as the pile continued to rumble and shake before two figures slowly began to rise out of it. Their bodies were transparent as they flew out. Danny kept his grip on Batman's hand as he flew him out of the rubble, quickly dropping the intangibility as they both dropped to the ground.

The Leaguers shook off their shock as they crowded around Batman, the man blinking at them in confusion as they crowded around them before they all turned back to the new figure. He appeared to be a teenager in a black and white hazmat suit. He had bright white hair that hung down in his face as he sat on his hands and knees, gasping for breath as he tried to cease the swaying in his stomach.

Danny groaned inwardly. _Alright, let's try not doing that again_. He mumbled to himself as he panted heavily. Suddenly, he felt a hand rest on his shoulder, causing him to glance up.

"Are you alright?" Batman asked, his eyes quickly widening as he caught sight of the teen's eyes, which were glowing a fierce green color. But it wasn't just his eyes. His whole face seemed...familiar. He stared at the teen for a moment longer before the kid jerked away.

Danny felt his breath hitch as he gazed down at himself, gloved hands shaking as he turned another fearful look towards the Leaguers, who were now gazing at each other in confusion as to who the teen seemed so frightened all of a sudden.

"I-I...I'm s-sor-sorry. I-I s-shouldn't be h-here." Danny gasped out, the blaring in his head drowning out everything as the sirens wailed. He quickly felt his feet leave the ground as he watched the Leaguers take a step forward. The heroes felt small sparks of surprise erupt as they watched the teen hover before their eyes.

"Wait." Superman called, only to watch the teen continue to shiver as he wrapped his arms around himself.

Danny shut his eyes tightly. "I-I'm sorry." He whispered before turning invisible, quickly disappearing into the dark night sky, the alarms quickly sparking as they began to snap and shatter.

Batman narrowed his eyes as he kept his gaze locked on the spot where the teen had disappeared. He felt the urge to go after the teen, but quickly realized going after the other villains took top priority. As he and the other Leaguers quickly tried to figure out where the others might have gone, Batman vaguely felt a strong sense of _deja vu_.

* * *

 **Thanks to these people for favoriting and/or following: _Legitimate Pipsqueak, Skiing-girl, Soluna Skystar, freespiritforever, jim89, Abyssius, AcrossBeginningCharacteristics, Evil Fanfictionist, Is-this-a-good-name, o realisticFantast o, thuff, ummmmmno530, LunaAsh, PeterPan0429, Smantha and Grim, .22. lillilycutie2, onlyone42, Dinodanie, MysteryGeek1, uknounx, wiseguy2415, FlamingPhoenix112, Stevonnieandpercabeth, SubZPhantomX, Tomgirlbre, NoLiFe97, Silver Crossbow, jcotton42, Nydac Pool, Sheepinator, Splendorman1999, Tsukiko K, blanketr2010; Dragonknight-Flameis, JellyB3ll, ZionJonah, chibi-no-baka, HopeLifeLove, Ku66Rice, Lokiko, Mae Bleu, proud-to-be-a-panda_**

 **Reviews:**

 **KaeterinaRomanov: Yeah, I kind of love it too. Oh, and don't worry. He'll be getting plenty of more nicknames.**

 **Kimera20: Yeah, it's obvious Danny and The Boy Scout are going to have some tensions at some points.**

 **reader238: A definite shorter list.**

 **Fear the Fuzzy Bear: He does have pretty good aim. But even if he had hit Superman, I doubt it would have really done anything except annoy him. You'll see more about Danny's powers soon.**

 **Darkverger1: Batman would be one to throw someone off a roof...I love Batman.**

 **Natzi Sumbitch: Yeah, my sister can drive me crazy sometimes too. I know how you feel.**

 **Guest of honor: I put the definition of 'twitlet' on the bottom of chapter 4. You can check it out there, but a twitlet is basically a younger version of a 'twit'.**

 **curry-llama: Yeah, crazy Danny is best. I'll include Vlad as soon as I find the best place to put him. Oh, and I just saw your new story. It looks really good. I like it so far. I hope I see more of it soon.**


	7. Chapter 7: Who's The Kid? Part l

**Chapter 7: Who's The Kid? Part l**

 _Danny felt himself quickly losing altitude as the wind whipped around his face. Suddenly, he felt the tingling sensation of the rings as they appeared around his waist, traveling up and down his body as they transformed him back into the ratty teenager he had become._

 _He let out a shout of shock as he abruptly fell out of the air. Thankfully, he had been smart enough to dive closer to the ground before the inevitable transformation, but he still tumbled across the dirty alley floor before coming to a slow stop as he landed on his stomach, his cheek pressing against the cold surface of the dark-gray concrete._

 _He let out a loud groan as he pushed himself up with shaky arms, trying to blink away the black dots that swam at the edge of his vision._

 _His skull pounded so violently, he was almost certain it would explode and the garbage men would end up with an unpleasant surprise laying next to the trash. He grit his teeth and shut his teeth as colorful spots flashed against his eyes, wishing for nothing more than total darkness, stillness and absolute quiet._

 _But, of course, this was Gotham. Not the most peaceful city._

 _Danny shook his head to try and clear the ringing in his ears and rose to his knees slowly. After a few more moments of trying to steady his breathing, with little success, the teen reached his feet. Unfortunately, this led to a swaying feeling in the pit of his stomach, causing him to ignore the shakiness in his legs as he rushed to the nearest trashcan, heaving up what little food he had been able to scrounge up, the valuable substance violently expelled from his body._

 _He gasped for breath as he pulled away, pressing his back against the back wall as he tried to stay conscious. His muscles screamed at him, and his chest splintered and cracked painfully with every breath he took. He moaned in pain as he felt a bead of sweat roll down his forehead, the burning sensation of a fever creeping down the back of his neck._

 _Finally_ _deciding himself fit enough to move, the teen slowly pushed off against the wall and began to slowly trudge deeper into the alley. Thankfully, the hands of fate had decided to be forgiving, allowing him to fall into the same alley where his "home" lay. Nevertheless, after a few moments of ducking under metal mesh fences and tripping over loose garbage, the teen collapsed to the floor once more, breathing heavily._

 _Danny moaned in pain as he lifted his head up once more, the world beginning to spin before him. He reached a shaky hand forward and slowly pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. Crawling over to the edge of the building, he felt his hands along the bricks until the cold surface of glass was felt underneath his fingertips._

 _Pushing the window open, he let out a small yelp of shock as his hand slipped, lurching forward as he tumbled into the opening, crashing onto the table underneath before rolling off. He let out a small growl of annoyance, but was happy enough to finally be "safe." He wrapped his shaky arms around himself as he flipped over onto his side, curling up into as tight of a ball as he could manage._

 _In the back of his mind, he felt the growing fear as he began to process what he had done. Another stupid mistake. Another snap judgement. Another life-threatening decision._ _Nevertheless, the concerns were drowned out by the exhaustion as he closed his eyes, allowing the comforting darkness to wrap around him._

* * *

"I'm so dead, I'm so dead, I'M SO _DEAD_!"

" _Danny-"_

"How could I be so stupid?! I didn't know it was _physically_ possible to be _this_ stupid!"

 _"Danny-"_

"I mean, I've done plenty of dumb shit before, but this takes _the frikkin cake!"_

 _"DANNY!"_

 _"_ WHAT?!" The teen screamed, whipping around to face the open computer screen, glaring down at his two friends through the screen.

"Dude, you need to chill." Tucker stated, a small headache beginning to bloom by just watching his friend panic. Danny turned his angered gaze on the techno-geek. "Chill? CHILL?! How the HELL do you expect me to chill at a time like this?!" He shouted angrily as he glared at the computer. Rushing forward, he wrapped his hands around the sides of the monitor. "I am _doomed_ , guys!" He screamed.

Backing up, he began to pace back and forth once more, earning another round of sighs from Sam and Tucker.

"Six years. Six years and I've actually been somewhat smart about this. I knew that only someone with a _death wish_ would be dumb enough to use these powers, so I didn't. You know, like a _smart person!_ But NOOO...nope! Just couldn't happen this time. Now, all because of some stupid _Bat_ I'm..."

Sam and Tucker glanced up when they noticed the teen stop his rant, only to furrow their brows in worry as they watched him clutch his head in pain, his face taking on a pale look as he began to sweat.

"Danny, are you okay?" Sam asked, a look of concern obvious on her face.

The teen took a moment to compose himself before nodding. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes once more. It had been three days since he had saved Batman and effectively _ruined_ everything, and the headaches were still coming in strong. Not that it surprised him. He hadn't used his powers in years, so using such a large amount in a short burst wasn't going to be particularly healthy for him.

He sighed and took a seat near the table. "Yeah, I'm fine. Still just feeling the effects of before." He groaned, rubbing his temples.

He had woken up from his _beautiful_ makeshift bed, consisting of a cold concrete floor, a few hours ago. And ever since, he had been freaking out. Most of the freak out had been in front Sam and Tucker, for they were the first people he had called as soon as he had woken.

Danny groaned and rested his forehead on his arms, which lay flat against the wooden table. "What am I going to do guys?" He asked, turning up to face them again. "I-I've... _revealed_ myself. It's only a matter of time until _they_ figure out I was here, if those heroes haven't already told them." He moaned.

Sam cocked her head and folded her arms. "I doubt they called anyone, Danny. For one thing, they might not even know who you are. It's been six years, and you've been very careful in keeping yourself hidden. I doubt anyone even knows who you are, unless they're great at hacking government files, which last time I checked, isn't in the standard education curriculum." The girl pointed out.

Danny gave a small smirk. "Like it really matters to _them._ Escaping was enough to send them on a frenzy, a frenzy they still haven't calmed down from. I mean, seriously! It's been _six years_! Why can't they give up like normal government officials?!" He shouted in exasperation.

Tucker hummed in thought as he leaned in closer. "You're still banking that _they're_ government?" He asked.

Danny rolled his eyes. "I don't know what else _they_ could be. Equipment, labs and scientists like that only come from something with big money. And big money like that only comes from the government." Danny growled out, eyes flickering green in anger as his mind drifted through the thick sludge that consisted of those creating a ripple in the pool of memories, the images wavered before disappearing back into the black water.

Danny sighed and placed a hand over his eyes. "I'm tired, guys. I'm _so_ tired. Tired of running, of fighting this, of living like this!" He growled, gesturing to his damp and dirty surroundings. "I could run, like usual, but what's to stop this all from happening again and again and again?!" He shouted angrily, even though he knew his friends didn't have the answers, for he had been asking the same questions since he was nine.

Sam and Tucker glanced at each other through their own monitors before turning back to the frantic teen. Tucker shrugged his shoulders. "Well, you could always try and get some help." He suggested, the same suggestion he had been throwing out ever since he had met the raven-haired teen.

Danny scoffed. "Yeah, that's what I'll do. Let's go to the police with this. Oh, even better! Let's go to the Justice League! Umm...excuse me, but could you all lend a helping hand? My problem? Oh, it's not much, just have some crazed government agency out for my blood. Why they want me? Well they kind of think I'm a dangerous criminal who's only looking to destroy and kill things by causing as much wreckage and havoc as I possibly can. But you can _totally_ trust me. So what do you say? Want to help me?"

Danny rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't even be able to get two words out before they take me down. Besides, that Cape Club only trusts people like them. Heroes, guardians, you know, all that righteous shit." He explained. "And they would never risk getting on the bad side with the government just for some scrawny kid, especially since the government already has some trouble trusting them. No, they'd only be willing to help _themselves_ in a situation like this." Danny growled.

Suddenly, his eyes flashed in realization as he quickly bolted upright, catching the attention of both his friends. "Unless...unless one of their _own_ was threatened." He breathed.

Sam and Tucker shared a confused look with each other before turning back to the teen, hoping for more clarification.

Danny abruptly stood up from his seat, staring off into the distance as he began to formulate a plan, thoughts flying at a million miles per hour as he tried to begin to piece the puzzle together. "If...if one of their own was being threatened, they would all stand to help them. They...they would _protect_ them." Danny grinned.

The two faces on the screen blanched before rounding on the teen. "Are you crazy?! You're actually thinking of-"

"-joining the _Cape Club?_ Yep." He turned back to the computer. "Just think about it. If I can get the Justice League on my side, if I can get them to trust me...then...then I might actually have a chance." He grinned. "I'd literally have a team of superhumans on my side!" He shouted.

Sam and Tucker stared at each other slack-jawed before blinking back into reality. "Danny, don't be ridiculous!" Sam shouted. "This would never work!"

"You can't use your powers without days of rest!" Tucker added.

"You'd actually have to act...righteous...the exact opposite of what you actually are!" Sam snapped.

"You'd have to play the part good enough to fool all the Leaguers, including Batman." Tucker commented.

"And...!" Sam growled. "...let's not forget what might happen if they _do_ figure out who you are, especially after you start lying to them!"

Danny waved them off before turning, beginning to pace once more. "But don't you get it? I _can_ control my powers. I've had plenty of practice, thanks to _them._ I just need to ease into it. A few days of practice should help get my core flowing properly through my systems again. And I've also had plenty of practice acting like the exact opposite of what I really am my entire life."

He paused at the next one. "Batman might be tricky..." He trailed off as he began to click together the final pieces. He cracked a grin and rushed the computer, causing Tucker to fall off his chair in surprise as Danny grabbed the monitor and lifted it into the air, bringing it closer to his face. "I got it! Who's the one person everyone in the League listens to, including Superman?"

"Batman." Sam answered, Tucker's off-screen voice filtering through as well.

Danny nodded. "Exactly. So...if I can get Batman on my side first, he can get me closer to the League. And if they see Batman is cool with me, getting them rest of them to trust me will be a breeze." He exclaimed, a large grin on his face.

Sam narrowed her eyes as she leaned closer to the monitor. "And when they figure out who you are?"

Danny paused at that. He stayed silent for a moment as he lowered his gaze, eyes flickering back and forth in thought before he lifted his head once more. "I'll just have to hope that they figure out _after_ I've gained their trust."

Tucker furrowed his brow. "And if they figure it out _before_?"

Danny turned away for a moment before a small grin appeared onto his face once more, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Well, you didn't expect me to last forever, did ya?"

Tucker turned to Sam through his own monitor. "Are we actually going to let him go through with this!?" He screamed.

The girl stared back at Danny, watching as he leaned closer to the screen, a pleading look on his face, a rare sight indeed. "Please, guys. I have to do this. This might be my only chance."

Sam stayed silent as she gazed into Danny's face before a long and tired sigh escaped her lips as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I still think you're a total moron. But...alright. I won't stop you. And Tucker's too big of a coward to _try_ stopping you, either." She added, the techno-geek bowing his head in shame. "Although, how are you going to get Batman on your side. I mean, he's _Batman_." Sam pointed out.

Danny shrugged his shoulders. "I got him to love _me_ in a matter of weeks, getting him to love Phantom will be a breeze!" He said with a smirk.

Tucker rolled his eyes. "I'm sure _love_ is a bit of an exaggeration."

Sam sighed. "Fine, but what about your powers?"

Danny turned back to the computer as he waved his hand dismissively. "All i need is a couple days of training for me to get them back to the surface. Cause ummm..." He paused as he lifted his hand. A faint green light sparked from his fingertips, suddenly shooting upwards towards the ceiling, creating a large black scorch mark on the cement above. He sucked in a sharp breath as he flinched, a small smile appearing on his face. "...I'm a little rusty."

He cleared his throat and turned his head away, shrugging his shoulders. "Ya' know, I really need to train, so I'll need some people to help me, meaning they'll have to be comfortable with pummeling me into the ground." He threw a knowing smile towards the computer. "Know anyone who might be down for that."

Sam and Tucker shared a look before turning back to the teen.

 _"We'll be right over."_

* * *

Batman landed lightly on the rooftop, feet barely making a sound as they crushed the grave underneath. He retracted the grappling hook and tucked it back underneath his cape. He silently moved over to the edge of the building, glaring down at the building below, light filtering through one of the windows. Farther into the building, shadows could be seen milling around before disappearing from sight.

He watched as people were replaced with others as a few took seats around tables while others lined up behind them, each leaning close as they began to discuss business. As Batman scanned the rest of the building, searching for alternative exits to watch out for, he found himself keeping his ears open to the sound of cheeky laughter and scuffling footsteps.

He hadn't seen Danny in around a week and a half, which was odd, not disappointing, mind you. Merely odd.

Batman also noticed himself scanning rooftops for the figure of a scrawny teenager throughout the week. After seeing no such shape, he would growl angrily at himself before going back to work, telling himself not to trouble himself with the whereabouts of a flighty teen when he should be working.

Nevertheless, he found himself thinking about the kid from time to time. It wasn't a stretch to wonder whether the boy had merely moved onto another city. When asked a few weeks ago, the teen had revealed that he never stayed in a city long before moving onto another one. _Can't deprive people elsewhere of my godly presence_. The teen had responded, prompting an eye-roll from the Dark Knight.

Of course, the more worrisome thought would roll into the man's head that the teen had fallen into some trouble, leading to his absence. Batman tried not to think about it too much, but always kept it in the back of his mind, just in case he saw a small trace of the teen.

But now, he shook the kid from his thoughts as he glanced back down at the building below. As he readied himself to leap down, he felt a shiver run down his spine as he noticed the foggy swirl that was his own breath escape past his mouth. He narrowed his eyes as he noticed a growing light beginning to shine behind him.

Slowly reaching down, his gloved fingers grazed the sleek metal of a bat-a-rang as he whirled around, rearing the weapon back, only to freeze as he stared back at the figure in front of him, eyes wide in shock.

The same teenage from more than a week ago hovered in front of him, hands help up in surrender as he gazed at the projectile in the Dark Knight's hand. His bright white hair stuck up in different directions, wide peridot eyes holding no fear. They merely blinked up at him curiously.

The man's fingers tightened around the bat-a-rang before his mind processed this was the same teen that saved him back in the museum. He blinked back into reality and lowered the weapon, keeping it in his hand nevertheless.

Finally having the chance to look into the teen's face, Batman found it hard not to notice the immediate similarities between the mysterious boy and the kid that had been sticking around him for a few weeks. Their faces matched almost to a tee, if not for the noticeable coloration difference between skin, Danny's being much paler than the kid in front of him.

But what really threw the Dark Knight off were the shimmering green eyes that stared up at him. They weren't full of scorn and distrust. Instead, they seemed more...alive, hopeful.

No, the difference was too great. It couldn't be _him_.

The teen gave a small smirk as he floated up into the air, hovering on his back in the air as he folded one leg over the other and gazed at the man. "Gee, if that's the thanks I get for saving your life, then I'd hate to see what your welcome would be if you _didn't_ owe me anything." He sniped.

 _Then again..._

Batman cocked a brow at the teen's comment, noticing he was nothing like the scared teenage from a few nights ago. He slowly lifted his hand towards his belt, pocketing the bat-a-rang, much to the teen's relief, not that he showed it. Batman glanced back up at the kid, watching as he slowly flew back and forth in front of him, bobbing his foot all the while. "Thank you for that." He started, earning a nod from the teen, only to move closer, causing the kid to stop moving. "Now who are you?"

The kid cracked a grin that Batman found eerily similar to a certain raven-haired teen as the boy moved closer, extending his hand forward. "Phantom. Pleasure to meet you, Batso."

The Dark Knight stared dryly at the extended hand, causing Phantom to slowly draw it back. "Are you a meta?" Batman questioned, noticing the teen's glowing aura and hovering form.

Phantom shook his head. "Nope, ghost." He said abruptly.

Batman furrowed his brow. "You expect me to believe that?" He questioned.

Phantom shrugged his shoulders. "I mean, you can believe whatever you want." He said before turning intangible, floating beneath the roof underneath their feet before reappearing behind the Dark Knight. "But I think the evidence speaks for itself." He said, watching as the man turned to stare at him once more.

Batman stayed silent as he watched the teen fly around the roof once more. Ghost, huh? Well it wasn't _that_ hard to believe, considering all the things he had seen in his career. After all, he already knew _one_ ghost, as well as a few aliens and monsters. Heck, he even had a son that was _technically_ a zombie.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he moved closer to the kid. "Why are you here?"

Phantom snorted as he flew around, wrapping his thin arms around the man's shoulders. "Man, are _you_ blunt. No wonder you're such a good conversationalist." He chuckled, earning no such elation from the Caped Crusader. "Anyway, I'm here because this city seems like a real fun spot. At least, fun enough to catch _my_ interest."

Batman rolled his eyes. "No. I mean why are you _here_ , on this rooftop?"

The ghost boy shrugged as he flew back into the air. "Thought you could use my help."

"I don't"

"You did last week."

"That was then, this is now. And right now, I _don't_ need your help."

Batman turned back towards the roof ledge, only to take a step back as he watched the teen materialize in front of him, arms crossed over his chest. "Well, you might not need my help right _now,_ but you never know what might happen ten, twenty seconds from now. So, might as well stick around just in case." He grinned as he flew down towards the building below.

The Dark Knight glared at the spot where the teen had been before letting out a tired sigh, mumbling a string of curses under his breath as he swung down as well, realizing he would have to take some headache medication when he got back to the cave. Funny...that usually only happened with _Danny_.

* * *

 **Oh, Batman aren't you wonderful? If any of you wonder how he can't tell Danny and Phantom are the same, it will be explained in the next chapter. Do not worry, my fellow readers!**

 **Thanks to these people for favoriting and/or following: _Fricat P, Irken Invader, Lilyqz, Minxiboo, , Nibra Ha Rishon, Panther4Life, Phantom KNight21, ectoly, humancreeper, Dayndra, Reading for escape, Sina Xiel, Some Weird Chick, mijosparkle13, silvertonguefox, Dianna Phantom27, Justaghostking, astrovagant, mountainpanda, CookieMonsterSong16, , anthenamoon, tocksters, DigitalGuru, Magicanna23, .77, cgual, icegoddess52, cgual, icegoddess52, Monkshood and Angels-Trumpet, PhantomFentenFan, nyanchan113; Lucifer's771, Bunnibutch, dawnhallj, 89, AlphaWolf, FoxSilver, King of 2211, SoulNinjas, dicsfire5, gryphonsson, charge phantom_**

 **Reviews:**

 **wiseguy2415: Well I couldn't jump right into the juicy stuff or else you would all leave. I needed to entice you somehow XD Oh and sorry if your head exploded from info overload. Please don't sue - kind of broke here**

 **PeterPan0429: LOOK UPDATE! yayy...**

 **gwencarson126: THANKS SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO BALANCE ACTION, DARK, FLUFF and OTHER THINGS. WELL HERE YOU GO.**

 **IS-this-a-good-name: Thank you. I really strive to make this as enjoyable for my readers. Sorry for my claws, I just sharpened them. Expect sharper in the future.**

 **Kimera20: Yeah, transforming after so many years of lying dormant can't be good for anyone.**

 **Legitamate Pipsqueak: Thank you...and your...melons? I don't know if it's the ...best, but thank you for the compliment anyway. My writing has really changed since I first started a year ago. I'm pretty happy about it.**

 **YouCanOnlyPretend: Sorry, you're on your own there. I'm a writer, not a techie. I can barely get my computer to do what I want. You guys are actually pretty lucky I'm able to post at all.**

 **Legitamate Pipsqueak: I know I already sent you a message, but I just have to thank you again for this wonderful comment. It really made my day. Thank you once again.**

 **curry-llama: That would be really hilarious for him to come out of an actual closet, but I think you'l find that particular moment much more different, in scene and tone. wink, wink XD**


	8. Chapter 8: Who's The Kid? Part ll

**Chapter 8: Who's The Kid? Part ll**

Phantom watched curiously as Batman reached into his belt, approaching the door in front of them slowly. The teen glanced up at the building in front of them, still not understanding what was so important here. He leaned back against the cold stone wall, glancing over at Batman. "So...do you have any particular reason for being here, or are you just trying to kill time until you're ready to go back to bed in your haunted castle?"

The Dark Knight cast him a strange look, to which the teen merely shrugged. "Well, if you're anything like Dracula..."

 _Where's a good roof when you need one?_ Batman grumbled to himself, feeling the urge to throw something off a tall ledge once more.

Nevertheless, it was obvious the teen had no ill intents, neither to hinder him or cause him any harm. If Phantom did have a notion to kill him, he would have tried it already. Then again, it might have slipped his mind due to _all-the-TALKING._

Batman sighed and pulled out what Phantom could only conclude as a lock pick. Placing the device into the lock on the door, the Dark Knight began to explain. "A few weeks ago, I busted a gang that had recently gotten mixed up in smuggling illegal weapons to high bidders on the black market. At the time, it was inferred the group had one leader..." He stated as he continued to pick the lock, only to pull back as Phantom grabbed his wrist and moved it away from the lock.

Glancing at the teen curiously, he watched as Phantom's hand began to glow a bright blue as it hovered over the lock, the metal quickly frosting over as ice seeped into the grooves. Rearing his arm back, the boy rammed his elbow into the lock, the brittle metal clattering to the floor. before pushing the door open with ease, gesturing for the man to proceed.

 _Just how many surprises does this kid have?_ Batman wondered to himself before stalking into the dark hallway, the teen following behind. The Dark Knight's tone became noticeably quieter as they glanced around the building. "It was inferred the group had one leader, but instead they have three." He began once more, eyes scanning the bare walls of the hallway. "There's a meeting happening upstairs with the seconds and-"

"Seconds?" Phantom echoed quietly.

Batman gave a curt nod. "Right-hand men. Second in commands. Them, along with the cronies and expendables are discussing plans right now before going over to meet with the leaders. Word has it they're meeting up tonight for a weapons trade." The man stated as they slowly began to ascend a small flight of wooden stairs. At the top, bright light spilled out of an open door to the right.

Phantom tilted his head as Batman pressed his back against the wall next to the open door. "So, how do plan on finding out where they're meeting?"

Batman gave a small smirk. "I'll ask."

Phantom shouldn't have really been to surprised as Batman hurled a bat-a-rang into the center of the wooden table that sat in the middle of the room, quickly knocking the shocked men to the floor. He merely rolled his eyes before flying into the room after him.

As Batman grabbed another man by the collar, hurling him face-first into the nearest wall, he caught Phantom out of the corner of his eyes, watching as the teen's hands began to glow a vibrant green before bright blasts shot out, knocking goons off their feet, turning wooden chairs into splinters, and causing the criminals in the room to begin to freak out even more than before. It was bad enough dealing with one _human_ superhero, now they had to deal with what looked like a glowing teen with bleached hair? How is that fair?!

Nevertheless, once the initial shock began to wear off, the criminals quickly whipped out their guns, aiming for whichever of the two freaks they could hit. But, while they were well aware of the fact that Batman had the capabilities to dodge bullets that no person should have, they never suspected the bullets would literally _phase through_ the teen.

They blinked in shock as the bullets shot through the teen as if he weren't even there, instead hitting the back wall, leaving large holes in the crumbling walls. Phantom chuckled as he noticed their shocked faces before flying forward, ramming his fist into the nose of one of the men, sending him flying backwards.

Quickly flipping into the air, he landed on the shoulders of another man, pushing off of him to tackle another to the ground. Rolling away, he phased through another round of bullets before his hands lit up once more, firing a barrage of blasts at the men, knocking the guns out of their hands while leaving dark black scorches on the tips of their fingers.

Shooting forward, Phantom felt a thick layer of ice forming around his fist before rearing his arm, ramming the ice-encrusted fist into the cheek of another man, the force sending him tumbling backwards, right into another group of men, all of them quickly falling to the ground.

"Yo, Bats! Is it just me, or is this really easy?" He called across the room, watching as the Dark Knight flipped another man over his shoulder.

"That's because this is just the second ring. The main guards are protecting the bosses. These are merely the replaceables." He explained, noticing how those who still weren't firing at them were now lying unconscious on the floor

Phantom furrowed his brow. "Well if they're the expendables, what makes you think they'll have any information?" He asked, blasting another man backwards without even turning his head.

Batman narrowed his eyes as he turned and glared down at a particular man moaning on the ground. "They won't. The _Seconds_ will."He explained, avoiding another round of bullets. Suddenly, a small yelp of pain made him turn his head.

Phantom hissed as he wrapped a hand around his upper-arm, a small trickle of blood escaping his fingers as he placed pressure on the new bullet wound. The Dark Knight felt his grip on the bat-a-rang tighten as he hurled it at the man who had fired and was readying to fire again. The projectile slapped the pistol out of his hand, earning a shout of shock and pain.

The distraction allowed Phantom to fire a blast of ice from his eyes, freezing the man's feet to the floor, causing him to call backwards as the teen's fist connected with his nose.

Seeing how most of the men were now down for the count, Batman reached down and grabbed the collar of a Second, hoisting him up. The man blinked in shock for a moment before a vicious snarl appeared on his face.

"Where are you supposed to be meeting your boss?" The Dark Knight growled out, eyes narrowed as he glared down at the scumbag.

Phantom finished up with the last few stragglers before going over to hover over the Dark Knight's shoulder.

The man sneered back up at the pair. "As if I'd ever tell you shits anything." He snapped.

Batman sighed slightly. "Well that's entirely up to you..." He started as he began to walk over to the window, dragging the man behind him. Quickly smashing the window open, he swung his arm around and grabbed the man's foot, hoisting him out over the edge of the window, the wind quickly whipping around his shocked face. "...but either you start talking, or my arm will start getting tired." He growled.

The man let out a scream of fear as he tried reaching the window edge, only to swing back out over the alley far below him. Phantom watched from inside with a pleased expression on his face as he placed his elbows on Batman's shoulder. "You're a lot of fun, you know that Batsy? I bet you now that _Big Blue Boy Scout_ would never go for something like this." He exclaimed, The Dark Knight proceeding to roll his eyes.

Even though the wind whipped violently around him, blowing his long hair into his face, the man glared back up at the pair. "I'm not letting you nothing." He growled.

Batman shrugged before releasing his grip on the man's ankle, watching as the goon floundered in the air as he fell towards the ground below. The Dark Knight sighed before turning to the teen at his side. "Do me a favor and go catch the idiot."

Phantom snorted before phasing through the floor and out into the alley, grabbing the man's ankle inches before his face made contact with the cement. Flying back into the air, Phantom turned himself and his passenger intangible as they flew through the wall before slamming him back into the wooden floor next to the Caped Crusader.

"Okay! Okay! I'll talk! I'll talk!" The man stuttered, hands shaking as he stared up at the two figures standing before him. Batman reached down once more and grabbed the man's collar, bringing him up nose to nose. "Where are they meeting?" He snarled.

"T-the s-s-shipyard! T-there m-meeting at the s-shipyard at one-thirty!" He gasped out, eyes clenched in fear.

Batman reared his fist back before slamming it into the man's nose, effectively knocking him out. Dropping him back to the floor, he stalked out of the room, quickly exiting the building. As he stepped out into the alley once more, he glanced back and watched as Phantom phased through the wall, landing next to him.

He narrowed his eyes and turned towards the teen once more. "Why are you still here?" He growled out.

Phantom took the question by surprise, blinking a few times before a small smile appeared on his face once more. "I thought we'd been through this, Bats. I'm..." He felt himself trail off as he met Batman's gaze, the man's glaring at him with a questioning look.

Phantom felt an unsettling cold begin to course through him. Not the comforting chill that always lingered there, but an icy, clawing grip of frost that seemed to squeeze his gut painfully. Nevertheless, he coughed and let a nervous smile appear on his face once more.

"I-I just thought that maybe you could use my-"

"I don't need your help." Batman stated coldly, eyes narrowing.

Phantom felt himself pale, his hand slowly moving over towards his left wrist, gently running his thumb back and forth over his forearm, Batman taking slight notice in the action. "B-but I w-was only-" The teen stuttered, only to stop as The Dark Knight continued.

"And I especially don't need to distract myself with a scrawny kid who doesn't know what he's doing by making sure you don't get yourself killed."

Phantom glanced towards his upper-arm, noticing the small stream of blood that was trickling down his arm. The teen shrugged his shoulders. "It barely grazed me, he just got a lucky shot." The teen defended, only to drop the smile as Batman approached once more.

"I mean it." The man growled out.

Phantom stared up at the man for a moment longer before letting out a sigh. He slowly turned around, casting the man one last glance before flying up into the air, disappearing from sight a few seconds later.

Batman stared up at the sky for a moment longer before turning away. As he heard the engine of the Batmobile quickly approaching, his mind drifted back to Danny and the strange teen, and _boy_ was he _strange_. He didn't seem to act like Danny at all. Okay, that was a lie. He acted like Danny a _ton,_ but he was different in many ways as well, Batman realized.

Phantom had just met him half an hour ago, and yet he was ready and willing to fight with him, to risk himself for a person he had met moments earlier. Heck, he had even hurt himself fighting with him, and was still ready to do more. Danny...Danny was different. The teen had a much different perspective. Eat or be eaten. If it ever came down to the wire, Batman was sure the boy would never risk his life for someone else. _I'm not that good a person_. The teen had said, a smirk adorning his face as he did so.

Not only that, but Phantom seemed more...desperate. Sure, the teen kept himself in check with plenty of sarcastic layers and grins, but Batman could tell the teen merely wanted to do a good job and earn his...approval? But why? The teen claimed he didn't know much about him, so why would he be striving to impress the hero?

Surprisingly, the teen wasn't _too_ bad. Sure he talked a _lot_ , but it was obvious he meant well. Nevertheless, the bullet had quickly snapped Batman's mind back into reality. Phantom wasn't like Superman or Flash or Wonder Woman. He wasn't a superhero. He was a _kid_. And Batman was not about to put an inexperienced kid in danger.

Sure, he had had plenty of _Robin's_ put in the same situation, but at least he could trust the kids. He had trained them himself, making him sure of what they could do and what they couldn't. That made sure he never placed them in situations they weren't ready for. It let him make sure they were _safe_.

Nevertheless, Batman let the troubling thoughts flow out of his mind as he drive quickly through the streets, his new destination in mind as he sped by.

* * *

The sound of a distant bell clanging filled the air, carried far by the blowing wind. The salty smell of the water swirled around the yard mingling with the scent of molding wood and contaminated sewage. Batman kept his eyes steadily scanning the area below as he crouched atop one of the large railings above the shipyard. Below, different shipping containers lined the ground back and forth, creating different alleys around the yard.

The crusader had been staking out the area for around two hours, and so far, only a few expendables were milling around the yard, obviously waiting for orders from their bosses, who had yet to arrive. So far, all he had been hearing was the numerous complaints from the men below on how cold it was, along with the fact that they had been waiting for almost two hours now.

Finally, a pair of headlights could been seen approaching. Quickly slowing down, the two black cars stopped in front of the clearing, the men quickly quieting down as the cars pulled to a stop. The back doors quickly opened, two to three men stepping out of each. One from each van rounded around to the front, opening the passenger doors, allowing a figure from each car to step out. Both wore clean suits and slicked back hair, scowls etched onto their faces. From record files, Batman recognized them as John Walzer and Harry Bekla.

Slowly walking into the clearing, one of the men gestured for the guard to grab something from the trunk, the man quickly complying. Batman narrowed his eyes and reached behind him, grabbing his grappling hook as he extended his arm, firing the device at another crane, silently swinging closer to the group of men.

"Well? Did your men get it?" Walzer growled out, straightening his suit in the process.

Bekla rolled his eyes and reached into his suit, pulling out a cigar. "Yeah, yeah. My man's getting it now." He sneered before lighting the match, popping the cigar into his mouth. Walzer scoffed and crossed his arms, turning away from the man as he waited impatiently, tapping his foot on the ground.

Finally, a tall man approached, a large case held in his arms. Quickly approaching the two bosses, the man placed the case on the ground and opened it. Walzer glanced at the contents before a grin appeared on his face. "Well, well, would you look at that, Bekla. I guess your men aren't as incompetent as I first thought." He grinned, pulling out a large blaster from the case.

Bekla grinned and approached the case as well. "Yeah, yeah. Let's just just get this junk distributed to the others and blow this place. I already got a new job for us. We can hit it tomorrow night.  
He sniped, reaching back into the case before pulling out another two blasters and a handful of grenades.

Suddenly, Walzer shot his head up, the smile wiping off his face. "Quiet!" He barked at the others, who quickly fell silent as his commanding tone. They watched as he scanned the surrounding area, the metal containment pods creaking slightly as the wind blew. The water gently lapped against the docks, the salty scent mingling with the sewage dump a few miles away. The faint buzzing of the lights overhead filled the air, the lights flickering from time to time, swaying in the air, causing the shadows below to dance.

"What are you freakin' about?" Bekla snapped, only for Walzer to hush him once more.

It was then they began to hear it. The soft sound of grunting and scuffling. Some of the guards at the outer edge shifted nervously as the sounds drifted over to them. Suddenly, one guard fell to the floor, screaming as he was dragged into the nearby darkness, the shadows quickly swallowing him. Another fell after that. And another. And another.

"It's the Bat!" One man screamed before being dragged away as well. The remaining men quickly huddled around the overhead light, scanning the darkness around them with a watchful eye. Bekla turned and dug into the case of weapons once more. "Don't worry. With these, even that freak won't be able to stop us!" He shouted, tossing blasters and grenades towards the men.

The bright red blasts that exploded from the blasters illuminated the clearing for moments before shrouding the surrounding areas in darkness once more, save for the spotlights that were created by the hanging lights overhead. Safe to say, it did little to prepare the men for Batman as he swooped in, knocking two men over quickly before kicking another away.

After a moment to recover from the initial shock, red blasts began to fire from everywhere. Batman leapt away from one, only to dodge another equally close one. Reaching into his belt, he hurled a pair of ice pellets at the feet of one man, freezing him to the ground. Leaping into the air, he ripped the blaster away and rammed the stock into the man's head, effectively knocking him out.

Quickly leaping away, he slid under the outstretched arms of another man and grabbed his back collar, dragging him across the ground and into another approaching goon, knocking both off of their feet. Suddenly, he felt somebody grab him from behind and begin to crush him. He let out a grunt of pain before ramming his head backwards, smashing it into the nose of the offender, who shouted in pain.

Whipping around, he grabbed the man's head and brought it down onto his knee, smashing the remainder of his nose against his padded knee cap, which was now stained red. Dropping the unconscious fool onto the ground, Batman hissed as he felt a searing hot pain in his shoulder, watching as a bright red blast skimmed past it.

Leaping out of range, he ducked and dodged another barrage of blasts, taking shelter behind a containment pod for a brief moment. One man reached behind him and pulled out a dark black grenade. Pressing the top of the device, he watched as it began to flash red. Rearing his arm back, he hurled the device towards the containment pod.

Batman narrowed his eyes as the grenade landed at his feet, rearing back as he realized what it was, and how violently it was now flashing. Quickly leaping out from behind the pod, he watched as a bright red explosion shot out from the pod, effectively destroying it, sending pieces of shrapnel everywhere.

He hissed as he placed weight on his ankle, realizing he had probably sprained it. Nevertheless, he quickly dodged another round of blasts before grabbing a pair of bat-a-rangs, hurling it at the group. The projectiles hit their marks, smacking the blasters out of the men's hands.

The small window was enough to allow Batman to leap forward, slamming another two men into the ground before punching another away. Quickly whipping around, he swept the legs of one guard, catching him before he hit the ground, only to throw him back into another group of men, knocking them all into the nearby water.

Batman suddenly let out a shout of pain as a fiery pain exploded from behind him. Crouching down to the ground, he grimaced as he felt the newly created burn by the blast. Turning his head, he watched as Walzer lowered the barrel of the blaster at his head, a malicious smirk adorning his smirk.

"Now we'll finally be rid of you, once and for all!"

Suddenly, a bright _green_ blast shot through the air, slamming into blaster, knocking it onto the ground. Walzer shouted in pain as he gripped his newly burnt fingers, only to gasp as a new figure materialized in front of him. Phantom gave a cheeky wave before slamming his fist into the man's nose, instantly knocking him out.

The teen cast Batman s small glance before flying into the air, firing green blasts to counter all the dark red ones that zoomed through the air.

Batman quickly shook out of his shock and stood once more, leaping back into the fray. With Phantom now here, the fight was now noticeably easier. With half of the men running scared from the Dark Knight, they ran straight into Phantom's path, making them easy to pick off.

Through the fighting, neither of the two noticed Bekla quickly sneaking around the clearing, making his way over to one of the nearby containment pods. Placing a group of the grenades at the base, he made his way over to another, quickly doing the same. Finally, he place the last few around the two cranes used for moving the large pods.

Finally, he ran back into the clearing, making his way towards the cars, only to feel something ram into his back. Tumbling across the ground for a moment, Bekla whipped around to glare at the teen who now crouched a few paces from him, liquid green eyes shining in the dark.

Reaching behind him, the man pulled out a small pistol-sized blaster, aiming it up faster than expected. The blast whizzed past Phantom, grazing his cheek as it did so. The teen hissed before leaping forward, kicking the man in the gut before ripping the gun out of his hands, ramming his elbow into the side of the man's head, dropping him to the ground. Turning away, he stopped when he heard soft laughter.

Glaring behind him, he noticed something in the man's hand, eyes full of scorn. Phantom gasped and took a reflective step back as he realized what the device was right as the man pressed the trigger. Suddenly, the sound of soft beeping began to fill the air, steadily growing louder and faster. Bekla chuckled. "Boom."

Phantom flew back into the air, watching as the Dark Knight knocked another pair of goons away. "BATMAN!" He shouted, relieved when the man looked up at him. One gesture towards the pack of beeping devices around the shipping yard was all it took for the Caped Crusader to understand.

"Phantom! Round everybody up and get them to the water!" He shouted up, watching as the teen gave a nod of understanding. Flying back down, Phantom grabbed Bekla and a guard and quickly flew them towards the pier before flying back to start eh process again, gathering up as many men as he could see.

As Phantom watched Batman drag the last few men towards the pier, he flew back into the air, scanning the area for anybody else. Suddenly, a loud _boom_ sounded in the far corner of the yard, followed by another one, and another until explosions were occurring in every corner of the yard, filling the area with soot and fire. The force of the explosion sent Phantom tumbling across the ground, the smoke billowing around him, shrouding him in complete darkness, save for the red flight that stretched from the burning fires.

He narrowed his eyes as he tried to find the men, the pier, _Batman_. But all he could see were hot embers falling from the sky and the scorching sensation of heat enclosing him from every angle. Suddenly, a loud creaking filled the air as one more loud explosion shook the air, making the ground rumble. Phantom whipped his head around, searching for the noise, only to feel someone grab onto his arm and yank him forward.

"Come on!" Batman shouted, glancing back up towards the falling crane above them. Sprinting towards the pier, the pair barely made it back towards the others before the crane slammed into the ground, sending a fresh wave of fire and smoke to shoot out, the force sending everyone flying into the air, crashing into the freezing waters below them.

The frigid temperatures made Phantom's adrenaline spike once more as his eyes popped open. He scanned the dark waters quickly, trying to distinguish what was up and what was down. Finally after a few moments of panicked searching, his head breached the water, allowing him to gulp in mouthfuls of air.

Batman quickly broke through after him, scanning the waters for the teen until his eyes fell upon him. Around them, the other men were quickly coming up as well, staying afloat by themselves, or with the help of others. But all Phantom could focus on keeping his nerves down as Batman turned his gaze on him. The teen cracked a small grin as he turned towards the man.

"So...did you miss me?"

* * *

"You just _had_ to cause as much damage as possible, didn't you?" Gordon sighed, grimacing as he glanced around the wrecked shipyard once more.

"Trust me, there would have been even more damage had Walzer and Bekla actually gotten away with those weapons." Batman explained, watching as Gordon cast another glance at the melting metal of the cranes farther down. _"Really?"_ The man murmured to himself.

The Dark Knight turned and watched as numerous police vans were loaded with different men, including Walzer and Bekla, each and every one of them completely soaked.

Gordon sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I swear, Batman. One of these days, you are going to set me over the edge." The man groaned, only for Batman to smirk slightly as he placed a hand on his shoulder. "You've been saying that for years, and yet you're still here."

"Yeah, that _alone_ should earn me a cell next to Joker's in Arkham." The man chuckled, only to stop as he noticed the teen sitting by the edge of the pier, feet hanging over the side as he gazed out at the water. He had bright white hair that dropped down in his eyes, small drops of water still dripping off of the strands. He wore and black and white hazmat suit and his eyes seemed to be... _glowing_.

The man groaned as he turned back to the Dark Knight. "Tell me you did _not_ get another sidekick. And one that seems to be _glowing?!_ Seriously?!"

Batman rolled his eyes and patted the man on the shoulder, quickly walking over to the Batmobile. After obtaining what he needed, he began to walk over to Phantom, noticing how the teen's arms were wrapped around him as he hugged himself tightly, the harsh wind that still blew not helping in the slightest with the cold.

Phantom blinked in surprise as he felt something be draped over his shoulders. Glancing down, he noticed there was now a thick grey blanket wrapped around him. Pulling it tighter around himself, he glanced up to meet Batman's gaze. "Thanks." He said softly, turning back to gaze out at the water.

"Didn't know ghosts could get cold." Batman said quietly as he stooped down and sat down next to the teen.

Phantom shrugged. "I'm still...fresh. I haven't been a ghost for too long, so I still get hungry, cold, tired, stuff like that." The teen explained, silently congratulating himself for the on-the-spot lie he had been able to conjure. Batman simply nodded his head in understanding.

"You shouldn't have come back."

"...I know."

"So why did you?"

"I-I don't know. I guess it just felt...right."

Batman turned his head to gaze at the boy. "Phantom, I can't let you help me. I don't need you hurting yourself."

Phantom blinked up at the man, eyes shining a brilliant emerald. "I'll be fine. I know what I'm doing. Really, I do. I've had plenty of practice with my powers, I know how to use them, and use they right." He stated, hoping to win over the Caped Crusader.

The man turned his gaze towards the small cut across Phantom's cheek, eyes hardening, only for the teen to lean closer, eyes filling with...desperation? _What does this kid want so badly? What does he need from me?_ Batman wondered to himself.

"Batman...please. Just let me _try_."

The man stayed silent for a while, causing the jitters in Phantom's stomach to fester and bubble until they seemed ready to burst. Finally, the Dark Knight sighed and stood up, causing the teen to do so as well.

...

...

...

"You'd better not do anything stupid, Spooks." The man said, turning away as he began to stalk back over to the Batmobile.

Phantom blinked in shock for a moment before a large grin appeared on his face. He let out a small, tired sigh of relief as he wrapped the blanket tighter around himself. He began to float up into the air, only to pause as Batman turned back to him. "And kid..."

"Nice job."

Phantom floated in silence for a moment as he watched the man turn back towards his car, a small chuckle rising up in him as he smiled, flying higher into the air. Once he was high enough, he let out a shout of joy, diving back down before pulling back up, flying through clouds and twirling through the air, feeling pure joy for the first time in years.

From the ground, Batman watched as Phantom flew through the air, small _whoops_ and shouts of joy faintly heard from below. As he watched the teen fly gracefully through the air, a small smile crept onto his face before he climbed into the Batmobile and quickly drove away.

* * *

 **Dang, that was a lot longer than I thought it'd be. Oh, well. I'm sure you're not complaining.**

 **Thanks to these people for favoriting and/or following: _553Coinm, Bammer-D, Dacerie, EmoPyromaniacFrost, NeoOokami, The Trashy Fangirl, Un enfant de misique, YuugiYY, Xandarius, ZeroExia, fix553, AGayPineAppleWeeaboo, DarkFabricSatin, Timekeeper78, 89, Flufflez McSugartop, Glaciaj Flamoj, InkMelody, maryam24ish, Dragongirl4ever, Ebretdranhion, necrow21; Flamestar072, Hoppy854, Reklaw41, brother of kane, sammillar_**

 **Reviews:**

 **KaetrinaRomanov: Yeah, something tells me Phantom would try and smooch off of Batman as much as physically possible.**

 **Legitimate Pipsqueak: Hey, you're stuck in Florida. Well it could be worse. You could live there. *wink, wink* (translation: GET ME OUT OF THIS HELLHOLE!) *ahem* sorry. So yeah, Batman notices the similarities, but the differences between Danny and Phantom are too great. And the reason for that is because Danny is trying his hardest to make those differences as noticeable as possible. He _can't_ have Batman figuring it out. It's a matter of life or death for him. **

**Kimera20: Thank you. Too bad Danny doesn't know just how AWESOME Batman truly is. Oh well, guess we have to do this the hard way.**

 **YouCanOnlyPretend: lucky**

 **wiseguy2415: Yeah, I'm not the most patient girl either. Anyway, now you don't have to wait. Here you go, hope you enjoy.**

 **Darkverger1: I think you'll find reading Danny is going to prove harder than one might think. That might not really be a good place to venture anyways.**

 **ShiraYukiShadow: Yeah, almost every single Robin had been black-haired, blue eyes except for Stephanie. I mean seriously! Dick was black-hair, blue-eyed, Jason, TIm, Damian, Cassie...ALL OF THEM!**

 **reader238: yeah, although I've always wondered how people can't tell Clark is Superman. I mean seriously just make him take off his glasses. Just pray he never pulls a _Velma from Scooby Doo_. XD**


	9. Chapter 9: Damn it, Batman!

**Chapter 9: Damn it, Batman!**

"Do you have any idea what all those steroids do to your mind?" Phantom asked, only to receive his answer in the form of a large fist slamming into his chest, sending him flying backwards into a pile of crates. "Guess you do." He groaned as he placed a hand to his head.

"Focus, idiot." Batman sighed, flipping backwards as Bane charged him. Leaping over the man, the Dark Knight grabbed his shoulders and flipped him backwards, the mercenary slamming into the concrete floor below. But he quickly rose to his feet once more and grabbed Batman's arm, throwing him across the room. Phantom quickly flew back into the air, firing a barrage of blasts at the downed man, who roared out in rage. "Yeah, yeah. . . ." The teen muttered, watching as Bane rose off of the ground once more.

The kid let out a groan as he watched the man glare at him. "Seriously? How many hits does it take for this guy to get the point?" He asked, firing a beam of ice from his eyes, hitting the man in the chest. Bane quickly broke through the ice, and whipped around, turning back towards the teen.

Reaching down, he grabbed one of the large pieces of ice that now lay on the floor and hoisted it up over his head. Danny raised his hands as the large block of ice came hurtling towards him, another quickly following.

Aiming up, he fired large ecto-blasts at the large chunks, the ice shattering into small crystals that clattered to the floor.

He quickly finished up the other two blocks of ice that fell towards him, only to feel something heavy slam into his side. Grunting in pain, he felt himself be hoisted into the air, Bane glaring at him as he squeezed his neck. Phantom grunted as he swung his legs forward, trying and failing to connect with the man's head. Suddenly, the teen's eyes drifted towards the side and a small smirk formed on his lips.

A small black bat-a-rang flew through the air, clipping onto Ban's back shoulder. A quick beeping filled the air before the device exploded, the mercenary dropping the teen in shock and pain.

Phantom quickly slid underneath the man's legs and flew into the air, throwing a large ecto-blast at the man's back, slamming him face-first into the back wall, the structure crumbling around the man.

Phantom slowly flew back, landing gently next to Batman, who gave him a small look. Phantom quickly gave him a silent nod, signalling he was alright before the sound of shifting rubble sounded once more. Bane let out a shout of rage as he broke through the pile and glared back at the pair. The anger quickly melted into contempt as he chuckled deeply.

"So, seems you have found another sidekick, eh Batman? Though I must admit, the little niño is tougher than most of the others."

Phantom clicked his tongue and crossed his arms. "Why the hell does _everybody_ think I'm your sidekick? I mean, seriously! Penguin thought I was, Ivy thought I was, Two-Face, Croc, Clayface, Catwoman, even Gordon!" He complained. "Come on, do you _see_ me wearing green tights?!" He growled out, Batman rolling his eyes in the process.

Bane chuckled once more. "No matter. I will still break you. Now the challenge comes from deciding who I break first. The Bat . . . . or the boy?"

Batman growled as he grabbed a bat-a-rang, hurling it at the man, who ducked the projectile, only for the following explosion to drive him forward, where Phantom shot him towards the ceiling, his back connecting with the hard cement. Slamming back into the ground, he grabbed the teen's ankle and swung him around, throwing him back into Batman, the two falling to the floor at the force of the blow.

Bane quickly charged them once more, only for Phantom to wrap his arms around Batman's shoulders, the pair disappearing in a blink. The mercenary froze and whipped his head around, a snarl appearing behind his mask. "Show yourself, cowards!" He snarled.

Suddenly, a black fist shot out from the air, slamming into the man's face, sending him stumbling backwards, only for a green ecto-blast to hit him in the chest, sending him flying backwards. Appearing once more, Batman and Phantom exchanged a look before nodding, plan in motion as Phantom flew forward, flipping over the man's shoulders before grabbing Bane's wrists, driving his knee into the mercenary's chin.

The man shouted in pain, only for Phantom to shove him forward, Batman quickly whipping around as he grabbed the tube that extended from the back of his head. He quickly ripped them out of their sockets, Bane screaming in pain, only to be silenced as Phantom delivered an ecto-powered uppercut, knocking the man out as he collapsed to the floor, Batman throwing the leaking tube onto the ground next to him.

Phantom glanced at Bane once more before crossing his arms, a small huff escaping his lips as he turned away. Batman let out a small chuckle as he glanced towards the teen. "Still pissed?" He asked, an amused expression evident on his face.

"Sidekick! Are you kidding me? SIDEKICK?! Hell, it's been six weeks and these idiots still can't get it right!" He shouted in exasperation.

Batman rolled his eyes at the teen's complaints, moving over towards the warehouse window, glancing around the sky to make sure they weren't needed elsewhere. "Well at least you're able to beat up whoever gets it wrong." He pointed out.

Phantom hummed in consideration for a moment before glancing back at Batman, a small smirk forming on his face. " _Almost_ everyone. . . ."

"You're _not_ punching Gordon."

"Tsk. . . Buzz Kill."

"Idiot."

"Whatever!" Phantom grumbled as he flew into the air, a small yawn escaping his lips, an action Batman took notice in. The Dark Knight turned and placed a hand on the teen's shoulder. "You should go get some rest. We're done here." He said softly.

Phantom nodded in understanding as he made his way towards the window, only to turn back as Batman called him.

"And Spooks, nice job."

The teen let a small grin spread onto his face. "Did you expect anything less?" He joked before flying through the window, disappearing into the night sky.

Batman gazed out the window for a moment before turning away, making his way back over to the unconscious form of Bane, a small thought filtering into his mind.

 _No . . . . I didn't._

* * *

Phantom sighed in content as he flew through the clouds, the cold crisp temperatures sending occasional chills down his spine as he flew. The wind whipped past him, stark white hair blowing into his eyes from time to time as he flew.

The sound of a police siren or fire truck would float up to his sensitive ears from time to time, making him consider stopping and checking it out from time to time. Those thoughts were usually driven out from the fact that he was no longer with Batman, meaning he no longer had to play the _Good Guy_ act. Nope, he was free to be himself for once.

The moon shone brightly overhead, illuminating the clouds around him in silver cloaks, making his hair seem even brighter, if such a thing was even possible. A few stars would occasionally peek through the clouds before disappearing back into the dark. Such nights like these made flying all the more enjoyable for the teen.

But such enjoyment was quickly forgotten as a certain scream filled his ears, one that was much louder than the others. He paused in his flight for a moment as he pondered whether to investigate, only to shake his head and roll his eyes, continuing his flight. It wasn't until another scream occurred, followed by another, and another that the teen had to stop once more.

Letting out a small sigh, Phantom focused on his hearing, stretching his concentration farther from the clouds, sensitive ears, picking up the sounds of screams and shouts of panic and shock, the sound of distant fire trucks, and the unmistakable sound of creaking walls and blazing fire.

He blinked back into reality as he took in a shaky breath. Clearing his throat, he turned away as he stared back out into the sea of clouds around him. Mentally, he was screaming at himself, wondering why he was even debating such a stupid idea. But . . . . something made him stop flying. Something made him listen. And something was telling him to help.

Letting out a loud groan, the teen quickly dove out of the clouds, zooming through the air as he sped towards the sounds of screams. It didn't take long to find the apartment building that was ablaze, but he hadn't expected the building to be so . . . well . . . . .on _fire_.

The entire structure was lit up, fire cracking through almost every window, the surrounding street glowing orange from the light pouring out of the burning building. Down below in the streets, the shouts of people drifted up to him, including one particularly troubling scream that claimed someone was still inside.

Quickly diving down, he landed in front of a particular couple, who staggered back upon spotting the teen before calming. They had recently seen the papers describing the vigilante, and how he seemed to be a cohort to Batman. "Is anyone still in there?!" Phantom shouted, trying to be heard over the raging fires beside him.

The woman turned to him, eyes full of fear and panic. "My daughter! She's still there. On the third floor!" She cried.

Phantom inwardly sighed. "Of course. Because the ground floor is just too easy." He muttered to himself before phasing into the building. The immense wave of heat that struck him was almost enough to knock him off his feet. He coughed before waving his hand in front of his face, trying to clear his vision of the surrounding smoke and soot.

"Hello?!" He shouted, the roaring flames seeming to drown out his voice. He gasped as the building rumbled, a nearby window shattering as a nearby blaze exploded, showering the teen in glass, the jagged edges tearing through his suit, leaving bloody gashed across his skin. Phantom cursed in pain. "Why the _fuck_ am I here? I don't even like kids!" He shouted to himself as he slowly flew through the burning ceiling.

He let out a harsh cough as he scanned the rooms around him, pieces of debris crumbling around him. "This girl better grow up to be President or something!" He shouted to nobody in particular as hot embers fell onto the back of his neck, hissing in pain as he quickly brushed them off.

Suddenly, the sound of quiet crying sounded from farther down the hallway. "Hello?!" He shouted again, letting out a yelp of shock as part of the ground crumbled under his foot. Quickly hovering over the debris, the teen whipped his head around, trying to locate anywhere a child could hide.

Finally, his eyes fell on a nearby room, the walls crumbling around it, allowing full view of the inside. In the corner sat a small bed, a little crack of space underneath. Phantom narrowed his eyes and flew over, crouching down next to the bed. Lighting up his hand with a ball of green energy, he saw a small girl curled up underneath the bed, a small Batman blanket wrapped around her.

"Hello?" He called softly, watching as she opened her eyes, revealing scared green irises. "Hey, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." He said softly, reaching his hand forward, only to watch as she scooted back in fear. He growled to himself, knowing there wasn't much time left as he noted the ceiling above them beginning to creak.

Suddenly, a smile formed on his face as an idea struck him. He eyes the blanket wrapped around her before chuckling. "It's going to be okay. I'm a friend of _Batman."_ He said, watching as the girl blinked up at him, a small smile forming on her lips. Slowly, she slipped her small hand into Phantom's outstretched one, allowing him to gently pull her out of the bed.

The sound of rock rumbling made Phantom wrap the girl in her arms and turn her away right as the ceiling collapsed, crushing the bed under a pile of burning cement, a large pile of ash and embers flying into the air. "Come on. I'm getting you out of here." He whispered to the girl, who wrapped her arms around his neck.

Quickly glancing around, the teen noticed how his exit was now blocked on all sides by burning walls and crumbled ceilings. He groaned before turning towards the girl. "Hey, umm...I'm going to get us out of here, but I need to do something. It's going to feel a little tingly, but I promise you it's safe, alright?" He asked.

The girl hesitated for a moment before wrapping her blanket tighter around herself, nodding her head.

Phantom nodded in acknowledgement before taking a deep breath, turning himself and the girl intangible, quickly flying through the burning floor and out the walls of the building, quickly appearing outside on the street. The couple from before watched as he appeared, quickly rushing towards him and the girl in his arms. "Katie!" The mother screamed, hugging the girl tightly to her chest as Phantom passed her off to them.

The pair quickly looked back towards Phantom, noting how he now had soot in his cheek and tips of his hair as well as a few bleeding cuts around his face and arms. "Thank you." The woman whispered, eyes flickering in genuine gratitude.

Phantom blinked in shock for a moment before nodding, quickly flying back into the air right as the fire department arrived. He let out a small sigh of relief as he flew to one of the nearby building roofs and watched as the firemen combated the flames, which were now beginning to die down slightly.

He let out a tired sigh of relief as he rested his back against an air conditioning vent, closing his eyes for a moment of peace, only for them to snap open once more as another sound filled his ears, the noise coming from the other side of the street. The sound of screeching tires, honking horns, police sirens and machine guns. Sure, why not?!

Letting out another annoyed groan, Phantom flew back into the air and quickly found the source of the noise. Two or three police cruisers were in pursuit of a car that was flying down the street, a man peeking out the passenger window from time to time, sporting a large AR-15.

Phantom groaned, which promptly turned into an annoyed scream before he noticed the trajectory of the speeding car. Straight towards a group of three women crossing the street. "Cause why the _fuck_ not?!" Phantom shouted as he shot forward, coming even with the car before speeding past it. Landing in front of the women, he quickly grabbed them and turned them intangible, the cars harmlessly passing through them.

Letting out a small sigh of relief, the teen let the women go and flew back into the air, speeding back towards the car. Landing on the roof of the car, he leaned down and knocked on the glass, earning confused glances from the thugs in the car. Leaning his head down over the window, he gave a small wave before his face morphed into a look of annoyance. "Okay, I'm sure you _jack-wads_ think this is a totally awesome idea, but the fact of the matter is, some of us are really tired and want to go home. So can you do me a favor and pull over?" He asked.

His question received an answer in the form of confusing glances, which promptly turned into the gunman whipping around, aiming the rifle at him before a long stream of bullets shot out of the gun, shattering the windshield right before Phantom pulled his head up with a yelp.

The teen growled before his hands lit up with green energy. Digging his hands into the top of the car, he grunted as he began to rip the top right off the car, startling the goons inside. Before the man could aim for him, he wrapped his lit hand around the barrel of the gun, bending the metal so that it pointed towards the shooter, who stared at the barrel in fear. "Yeah, try shooting that think now." Phantom growled before yanking the driver out of his seat, the man letting out a shout of shock.

Without the driver, the car slowed enough for Phantom to throw the man onto the road without fear of killing him. He then proceeded to to the same to the other two men, the car slowing to a stop as the cop cars encircled the confused and dazed men. Before the policemen could turn towards Phantom, the teen was already flying away. Landing on another roof nearby, the kid collapsed to the ground, groaning in relief, wishing nothing more than to sleep.

Suddenly, the shattering of glass filled the air as well as the shouting of a group of men.

"I'M GOING TO _FUCKING_ MURDER SOMEONE! _"_ Phantom screamed, eyes blazing as he shot into the air and dove towards the ground, landing on the street. Whipping his head around, he caught sight of a nearby jewelry store, the front glass broken and scattered on the front street.

Flying over, the teen noticed a group of bumbling men, each shouting at each other as they dragged duffel bags on the ground behind them, trinkets and necklaces dropping out from time to time. Phantom's eyes twitched in aggravation. "Seriously? Where's _Batman_ when you need his _fuckin'_ ass?!" He shouted, noting the fact he had now cursed more in fifteen minutes than he had in an entire week. But ffight now, he didn't give two shits.

No. Right now, his main goal was restraining himself from putting the morons across the streets in full-body casts.

Flying over, he dropped down in front of the men. Placing a hand to his forehead, he let out a long and tired sigh, to which the men exchanged glances with each other.

"Alright . . . ." Phantom said quietly.

"I'm going to make this as simple as humanly possible. Surrender right now, or I promise you'll each wake up with broken noses." He growled out, eyes flashing dangerously.

The man hesitated for a moment, a minute of silence passing between the group before the thugs charged. Phantom sighed and let the energy build up in his hands, rearing his fist back before ramming it into the first man's nose, not even giving the thug the chance to attack him.

The other two hesitated in their attacks, but charged nonetheless. Ducking under a swinging pipe, Phantom flipped over the man's shoulders and landed in front of Idiot #3. Sweeping the man's legs, he grabbed his collar and slammed his fist into the guy's nose, watching as he collapsed to the ground, holding his nose in pain as he rolled on the floor.

Whipping his head around, he watched as the last man began to run down the street, earning another sigh from the teen. Flying over, he hurled a glob of ectoplasm at the man's feet, sticking him to the street, causing him to crash to the floor. Rolling over, the man tried to free himself from the sticky substance, only to freeze as Phantom approached.

The teen stared at the man with an expressionless face for a moment before kicking him in the face, effectively knocking him out, as well as giving him a bloody and crooked nose.

Letting out a content sigh, the teen listened to the approaching police sirens before flying up into the air. Quickly landing on the closest and final building roof, the teen breathed heavily, hands resting on the edge of the roof as his hair hung into his eyes, a small bead of sweat dripping down his face.

 _"Not bad, Spooks."_

Quickly whipping around, Phantom's eyes landed on the dark figure crouched by the edge of the roof, scanning the streets nearby for any signs of trouble.

"W-w-www-w . . . . w-when . . . w-wh-why . . . w-wh-w _-WHAT_?!" Phantom stuttered as he approached the Dark Knight. "H-how long have you been here?" He asked incredulously, wide eyes still blinking in shock.

The man shrugged. "Long enough."

Phantom dropped to his knees next to the Dark Knight, flopping over onto his back, his head resting on the man's knees as he stared up at him. "W-wait. Are you saying you were watching the _entire_ time? YOU DIDN'T THINK TO HELP?!" He shouted, flailing his arms in added emphasis.

Batman rolled his eyes. "I merely wanted to see how you handle yourself solo. I've only ever seen you in action with me, so I wanted to see what you're really made of. Not that I thought you'd need it, but I was always nearby in case you needed me to intervene."

Phantom scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Well _that_ makes me feel better. Did I at least _pass_ your stupid test, Teacher?" He growled out.

Batman nodded softly, never realizing just how relieved Phantom really was through all the sarcasm. The teen sighed as a small yawn escaped him for what seemed like the millionth time that night. "You know, I'm really beginning to question your teaching methods . . . . . . and your sanity."

Batman let out a small chuckle. "You should go get some rest now, Spooks. I have things covered here, and you've more than deserved it." He stated, only to notice the lack of movement from the teen. Glancing down, he now noticed the teen's arms were folded over the Dark Knight's lap, his legs sprawled out across the roof floor. His head rested over his arms, his eyes closed as the occasional snore filtered through.

Batman rolled his eyes before gently patting the teen's head. Lifting his gaze, he continued his scan of the city for trouble, keeping one hand on the boy's head, never even noticing how his hand began to run through the boy's soot-covered hair comfortingly.

* * *

 **Yeah, I know. Not the most exciting chapter. But I wanted to show the relationship between Batman and Danny and develop that more before I move on to anything else. And I also wanted to show how Danny really feels about all this . . . . . _hero-ing_.**

 **Anyway, back to the business at hand. Thanks to these people for favoriting and/or following the story: _Glowing Loudly, Raalina, seantriana, whyissigningupsocomplicated; FreeFangirlFeels_**

 **Reviews:**

 **Tomgirlbre: Yeah I have to admit, I kind of love it too.**

 **Legitimate Pipsqueak: Yeah, but in Florida there are really only two types of weather: scorching and hurricanes. That disorder thing would be interesting, but it would probably take away from the real plot of the story. Thanks for the suggestion though. Maybe that could be a future story.**

 **YouCanOnlyPretend: Yeah this would probably kill me too. Sorry by the way. (P.S. I love your profile pic) XD**

 **God of the Challenge: Of course Superman would have something overly-complicated like that. At least Batman is courteous enough to use a cowl of something. At least _try_ Supes!**

 **Glowing Loudly: No, but I probably should. I really love that writer.**

 **(P.S. Get ready for some Justice League fun!) ;D**


	10. Chapter 10: Bombs and Babysitters

**Chapter 10: Bombs And Babysitters**

The sound of beeping made Danny crack open his eyes, as well as mutter a few well-placed curses. Lifting his head, the teen noticed his communicator blinking on the floor next to his ratty mattress. He groaned loudly before dropping his head face-first back into the pillow.

"You are seriously interfering with my health, Bats." He muttered to nobody in particular through the pillow. Nine weeks had now passed, and the teen still could not understand how the man was able to do what he did on such little sleep.

Nevertheless, he slowly reached his hand over and felt his fingers across the cold cement, trying to locate his communicator without actually having to lift his head. Finally, after picking up a can of soda, an empty bag of chips, and what he could only assume was a rat, the teen lifted his gaze and picked up the device he had received on week seven.

"What do you want, ya' crazy insomniac?" He growled out, almost certain he could hear the way Batman's eyebrow raised at the comment.

" _Something is going down on Manchester and Hallock. Pretty sure Two-Face has a part in it. You want in?"_

Danny yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Yeah. . . . . I'll be there in a bit. Don't start the fun without me." He said, throwing the blanket off of him as he stretched his arms. Dropping the communicator as Batman hung up, the teen quickly rubbed his face once more and transformed into Phantom.

One more yawn escaped his lips before he flew up into the air. He gazed longingly at his mattress before phasing through the walls. "This should be quick. I'll be back in an hour, two tops. After all. . . . what could go wrong?"

* * *

"This is _ssso_ n-not my fault. How the h-heck was I supposed to know the bomb wasss going to ex...plode right then and there?"

"Well what kind of idiot runs towards a bomb that's soon to explode, anyways?"

" . . . . . okay y-you got a point. "

Batman sighed loudly as he wrapped his arm around Phantom's waist and fired his grappling hook, quickly swinging himself and his passenger up to the nearest roof. Once settled, he gently placed the swaying teen onto the roof floor and gazed at his wounds.

The two had recently been going against Two-Face and his men while trying to dismantle a nearby bomb. They hadn't been able to disarm the bomb completely, but they were able to minimize the severity of the device. Though it still packed a wallop when it exploded, Phantom knowing all to well that a bomb was still a bomb, no matter how small.

Leaning his head back against the roof edge, Phantom's eyes drooped as he watched Batman inspect his arms and legs. The man growled softly as he noticed the pieces of shrapnel that were digging into the teen's skin, causing small streams of blood to trickle out.

Gently picking the pieces of metal out of the teen's arm, he reached into his belt and pulled out a roll of gauze, quickly wrapping the boy's bleeding limb before moving onto the others.

Phantom's eyes were forced open once more as the Dark Knight snapped his fingers in front of his face. "Eyes open. No doubt you have a concussion, and I don't need you falling into a coma."

The teen sighed. "Whatever y-you sssay b...oss" He said softly, his words beginning to slur together.

Batman shook his head as he placed his hand against the side of Phantom's head, noticing the small trickle of blood that was beginning to drip down. Gently moving the teen's hair out of the way, Batman reached down and grabbed a small rag from his belt, splashing a bit of antiseptic before placing it on the teen's head, who winced in pain.

Phantom drearily blinked open his eyes once more. "Two-Face...is an ass. And bombs t-totally s...uck. " He muttered, earning a small smirk from the Dark Knight.

"Yeah, I kind of have to agree with you there." The man sighed, watching as Phantom's eyes drooped close once more.

"Open." He said, snapping his fingers once more.

"They're...open, Bl...Be...Bats." He sighed, vaguely aware of the fact that his bed sounded like a faraway dream now.

Rolling his eyes, Batman kept the rag applied to the teen's head, gently stroking the boy's hair whenever he hissed in pain. Suddenly, the sound of beeping filled the air, causing both people to glance up. The Dark Knight sighed and raised his hand towards his ear.

"What?" He growled out, glaring up at nothing in particular. Phantom watched with curious eyes as Batman continued to grow more and more annoyed as the conversation took place via communicator. "I'm a little busy at the moment-" He started, only to stop once more.

Finally the man let out a long and angry sigh as he sent a Bat-Glare at the ground, Phantom surprised when the concrete didn't explode into a million pieces after behind subjugated to the look. "Fine, I'll be there soon." He finally growled out before abruptly cutting off the conversation.

He turned and blinked at Phantom for a moment before walking back over. Gently crouching down, he slipped one hand underneath the teen's neck and another under the bend in his knees, lifting him up into the air. The teen whined as he closed his eyes and turned his head towards the sky. "Aww...c-can't you just leave m-me here?" He asked.

Batman rolled his eyes as he made his way to the edge of the roof and grappled down towards the alley once more. "As tempting as that sounds, I'm going to have to say no." He sighed, watching as the Batmobile roared closer.

Opening the top hatch, he placed Phantom in the passenger seat and moved over to the driver's seat, the top quickly closing above them. Phantom tried keeping his eyes open, but sleep was something he just couldn't say no to anymore. His eyes slowly closed and his head drooped to the side, his white hair quickly drooping into his eyes.

Batman glanced over and noticed the teen sleeping in the seat next to him. Deciding against waking him, Batman merely continued to drive through the streets, internally relieved he didn't have to blindfold the teen now. The drive was silent, save for the soft rumbling of the engine, which only made Batman's mood worsen. They just _had_ to call him in now. _Now_ of all times. _Idiots_.

Finally, Batman pulled into the Batcave, promptly shutting off the engine. Quickly calling Alfred down to the Batcave, requesting a blanket, Batman reached over and gently shook Phantom awake, the boy's eyes slowly fluttering open.

He groaned and turned towards Batman, furrowing his brow slightly as he stared around at his surroundings. "Umm . . . ." He mumbled, taking notice of the large computer, many souvenirs, and the lined up costumes encased in glass containers farther back into the cave.

"Where's your perch?" He asked, turning towards Batman, the man cocking a brow at the question.

"Perch?"

"Yeah, the t-thing you use...to hang upside d-down. You know, for sleeping." He said, a small smirk appearing on his face.

Batman rolled his eyes and helped the teen out of the car. "Well by those standards, that must mean you sleep in a coffin."

" . . . . . . touche, Bat-Boss."

Phantom turned when he heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Batman furrowed his brow when he noticed the teen slowly shift closer to him, eyes filling with wariness. But the look quickly melted into one of confusion when the teen saw an older man in a tuxedo slowly approaching, a small, folded blanket hanging off of one of his arms.

"You...have a Bat-Butler?" He asked incredulously, staring back up at Batman, who let out a long sigh at the statement.

"I believe this is our guest?" The man said, staring down at the teen before holding out the blanket to Batman, who gave a small nod of thanks before grabbing it. Unfurling the cloth, the man draped it over Phantom's shoulders, who mumbled a soft thanks before pulling it tighter around himself.

The teen watched sleepily as Batman moved over to the computer, pressing a series of buttons before the sound of moving metal made Phantom turn his head. Farther down into the cave, two doors in the floor were now separating, a large aircraft slowly rising out.

Phantom blinked in shock as he stared at the gleaming plane, dreariness forgotten for a brief moment as he stared at the machine. "What is...that?" he asked softly.

Batman walked over to stand beside the teen, who was still drooling over the plane. "This is a Javelin." He explained curtly, noticing how Phantom huffed when he didn't delve into further details. As the doors to the plane slowly opened, Batman watched as Phantom quickly stumbled, catching the teen before he could fall. Gently walking forward, the Dark Knight helped the boy slowly enter the aircraft.

Taking a seat next to Batman, Phantom stared with dreary eyes at all the buttons and blinking machines lined up on the control panel. "Things n-never get...boring a-around you, Bats." The teen sighed before falling asleep once more.

The Dark Knight scoffed softly and shook his head, pulling the blanket farther down over Phantom's closed eyes as the teen slept, quickly taking off to the sky. As the clouds flew past them, Batman took notice as the dark clouded sky slowly melted into a gleaming black sky, millions of small pinpricks of light shining in the distance.

Sitting in the silence, save for the occasional snore that would softly drift out of Phantom, Batman felt his finger tap against the control console in thought. Maybe taking Phantom up to the Watchtower was a bad idea. He had proven on more than one occasion that he didn't trust new people. But it wasn't like Batman could just leave him on that roof, or even the Batcave.

The teen was curiosity in the purest form. It wouldn't take long until he started asking questions. And granted Alfred would probably try his hardest in keeping up the act, it would be hard keeping secrets from someone who can disappear from sight and phase through almost everything.

That then caused a new thought to pop into the man's mind.

 _Do I trust Phantom with my secret?_

That made him pause. The teen had proven many times that he was to be trusted. He was willing to work with the Dark Knight, and even risk his life for him, evident from the concussion he was now trying to sleep off. And over all, he had proven that he was really a good kid. Sure he was annoying beyond comprehension, but once all the sarcasm melted off, you were left with someone worth getting to know.

But . . . . . there was something about him. Something that told Batman to stay on guard. There was something the teen wasn't telling him. Something he was hiding. Something important. Nevertheless, Batman _did_ trust the kid. He had known him for more than two months now, and it was safe to say those two months had been anything but boring. And as much as he hated to admit it, Batman actually . . . . . _cared_ for the annoying little twerp.

The man furrowed his brow and made up his mind, raising his hand to press a button above his head. "Superman?" He called, hearing the muffled reply through the speaker.

"We're getting a visitor."

* * *

After a few more minutes of flying, the growing figure in the distance finally revealed itself as the Watchtower. As Batman pressed a series of commands into the controls, the bay doors slowly began to open up. Carefully maneuvering the large plane into the opening, Batman noticed the others were lined up outside, staring expectantly at the landing Javelin.

The man rolled his eyes, having been expecting just Superman. Nevertheless, setting the craft down, he reached over and gently shook Phantom's shoulder. The teen scrunched up his face and swatted the man's hand away. "What the hell do you have against _sleeping_?" He muttered, pleased at himself for not slurring any words.

Batman raised a brow but said nothing as he helped the teen to his feet. Phantom scrunched his face in confusion, taking notice of the new surrounding as they began to climb down from the Javelin. "Where are we now?" He asked, Batman staying silent as they exited.

Finally, six sets of eyes landed on the new teen, who threw an equally shocked stare at the six.

A minute of silence followed before Phantom snapped out of the shocked state, quickly falling into an annoyed one. "No. Nope, nope nope. I'm an not doing this." He stated, folding his arms before turning towards Batman, who sighed. "I don't really think you have a choice."

"I'm am not hanging out with your Cape Club, Bats. I am simply not doing it!"

"It's not that bad."

"Nope."

"You haven't even met them."

"You say that like it's a bad thing!"

"Phantom-"

"Just take me back home."

"That's not happening."

"This is _kidnapping_! Actual _kidnapping_ in the _process_!"

Superman glanced at the others behind him, each mirroring looks as confused as his. Clearing his throat, the man stepped forward and lifted a hand. "Umm . . . Batman?" He called, only for the two bickering heroes to turn on him with glares as heated as the ones they were throwing each other. "Stay out of this!"

The man quickly stepped back in line with the others, deciding it was safer to him and everybody else in the room that they just let the two flames flicker some more with each other before dying out.

"Batman, you _cannot_ keep me with them."

"And how do you plan on leaving if I say no?"

"I'm a ghost! I don't need oxygen! I'll just fly back home."

"Flying with a concussion probably isn't the smartest thing to do. And if I remember correctly, you still need things like food, water, sleep and _oxygen_."

"Damn, I forgot I told you that . . . . w-well, you're already depriving me of one of those, so how about another?!"

Batman sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, turning to the other heroes in the room, who looked ready to run at the steaming fight that was playing out in front of them. "Everyone, this is Phantom. If you recall-"

"He was the one who saved you back in the museum a few months ago." Wonder Woman realized, recognizing the bright white hair and electric green eyes that were hard to forget upon first seeing them.

Phantom crossed his arms over his chest and turned away. "Yeah, what a stupid decision that was." He muttered, sticking his tongue out at the glare he received from Batman.

The others glanced at each other once more before Superman stepped forward. "Okay, but what's he doing with you?" He asked.

Batman glanced at Phantom, who had now turned away before looking back at the others. "Phantom appeared in Gotham a few days after the museum attack. Despite my protests, he helped me take out a weapons deal and asked if he could stick around." He explained.

"Against my better judgement, I decided to give the kid a chance. But, a few weeks afterwards, he proved to be a worthy ally. Two months later, I still haven't really been able to get rid of him." He stated, the others watching as the teen gave him a small punch in the arm. "Just admit you love me, Bats." He smirked.

The Dark Knight rolled his eyes before turning to the others. "As to why he's here right now, earlier tonight, the little idiot got himself caught in the middle of a bomb, earning him a nasty concussion. I was still tending to him when you called me in, which is why he's here now."

It was then the others noticed the bandages wrapped around the teen's arms and neck underneath the blanket, and how he leaned slightly against Batman. Flash glanced at the others before zooming up to the teen, causing him to flinch back at the sudden movement. The speedster held out his hand, a large smile forming on his face. "Hi, I'm Flash. Nice to meet you." He grinned.

Phantom blinked at the man, taken aback at his overwhelming peppiness before glaring back up at Batman. "I hate you."

"You'll get over it." The man said before turning back to the other Leaguers, instantly becoming the emotionless Dark Knight once more. "Why did you call me here?"

J'onn flew forward at this. "I am in need of your assistance, Batman." The martian stated, gesturing for him and the others to follow. Phantom glanced at Batman for a moment before allowing the man to help him walk down the hall.

As they moved silently towards the main command center, the other Leaguers took slight notice of how Batman wrapped his arm around Phantom's waist in an almost protective manner, helping him slowly trudge down the hall. Finally entering the large room, the others dispersed as J'onn turned towards the Dark Knight. The man glanced down at Phantom and gestured towards the nearby window.

Phantom nodded in understanding before slowly making his way towards the window that overlooked deep space. As he walked, the teen kept one hand on the wall next to him, making sure he didn't trip.

Casting one last glance towards Phantom, the Dark Knight turned towards J'onn and gestured for him to proceed.

"As you recall, when I first came to Earth, I spoke of a rare flower that only grew on Mars." He started, Batman nodding at the words. "Well, much time has passed since then and I am curious as to how the land is on my planet. I wonder if those plants are beginning to grow, or if the soil is becoming fertile once more."

"I ask for your help for I know you have technology that might be of aid in my mission. I ask if you'll come with me to Mars." The martian asked.

Batman narrowed his eyes in thought. Leaving Phantom alone in the Watchtower was not going to go over well with the teen, especially being left alone with the other Leaguers, but he also knew those plants might be useful, as well as the information of Mars' condition.

Finally, he sighed softly and nodded his head. "Alright, I'll come with you." He said, never noticing how Phantom's head instantly whipped around. "We'll leave in a minute."

"You're _leaving_?" Phantom echoed, voice laced with confusion and worry.

The other Leaguers glanced at each other, confused by the boy's fear. Batman slowly walked over and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Just for a little while."

The teen glanced down at the floor as he began to pick at a small tag in the corner of the blanket that was still tightly wrapped around him. "Y-you're going to come back . . . . right?"

"I promise." Batman said softly, gently running a hand through the boy's white bangs. Phantom hesitated for a moment before nodding softly. "Alright . . . .but you better get back as soon as you can. No dawdling. I'd rather not spend any more time here than I have to." He grumbled, Batman chuckling softly at the teens whines before patting his head, walking back over to J'onn.

The martian nodded his head before the two men left the room, leaving Phantom sitting by the window with the other Leaguers standing off to the side, glancing at him with puzzled looks. Hawkgirl glanced at him once more before turning towards the others. "Okay, is anybody else weirded out by this?" She asked, the others nodding their heads.

John folded his arms across his chest. "He's actually letting a _kid_ fight crime? Seriously?" He questioned.

Diana shrugged her shoulders. "It's actually not all that surprising when you take into account all the _Robins_ he's had." She stated, Superman nodding his head in agreement.

"Yeah, he's had, what, six sidekicks? Honestly, I'm just surprised the boy doesn't have black hair and blue eyes." He chuckled.

Flash cast the teen another glance before turning back to the others. "I don't know, guys. Didn't you hear what that kid said. He said he was a ghost. Isn't that a little creepy, even for Batman?" He asked, the others stopping at that.

"Does that mean . . . . . he's dead?" Diana asked, silence falling over the entire group at that.

Hawkgirl was the first to lift her head once more. "Well, all I know is I've never seen Batman with his guard so . . . . down." She stated, the others nodding their heads on agreement.

"And did you see how they were fighting? That kid doesn't fear him at all. He didn't even back down when Batman glared at him." He pointed out. "There's something different about that kid. And I'm sure Batman's picked up on it." He stated.

Diana glanced at the others for a moment longer before turning back towards the teen, watching as he rested his forehead against the cold glass of the window, eyes closing as he let out a sigh.

Phantom groaned softly as he felt the cold glass pressing against his skin, doing little to curb the loud thumping in the back of his head. His nerves did nothing to ease the growing headache that was forming. Even though Phantom knew this part of the plan had to come eventually, he hadn't known it would come . . . . . so soon.

He had finally become comfortable around Batman, actually letting his guard down when the man was around. He trusted Batman, with more than just his safety. He trusted him with his _life_. He was happy around Batman. He was safe around Batman. He _wanted_ Batman back. He wanted to feel . . . . . _safe_ again.

These Leaguers . . . they were new. He hated new things. And even though he knew they were an essential part to his plan, he couldn't help but wish to be back in Gotham again. Leaping rooftops with the Dark Knight, beating up thugs left and right. At least in Gotham, there weren't any superhero groups that whispered about him _really, really_ _loudly_.

His heart thumped loudly in his chest at the thought of interacting with the other Leaguers. _What is I say something wrong? What if I expose myself? What if they tell Batman? What if Batman turns on me?_ That one thought made his heart ache. No, he couldn't let these Leaguers ruin everything.

He would just try and avoid them until Batman returned. Then maybe sometime in the future he could try again, preferably with Batman present.

He sighed and wrapped his arms around himself, wanting nothing more than to curl up in his bed and fall asleep. But that sweet vision was abruptly shattered when he heard approaching footsteps. Cracking open his eyes, he slowly turned his head, watching as Wonder Woman crouched down next to him.

The woman smiled at him warmly. "Are you hungry?" She asked softly.

Phantom sighed internally, knowing he wasn't mentally rested enough for this torturous string of events that was sure to ensue. The teen merely shrugged his shoulders at the woman's question, not really caring enough to voice his thoughts just yet.

"Well we have plenty of food in the kitchen. Do you want to come and see what we have?" She asked.

 _Okay_ _, time to voice my thoughts_.

The teen sighed loudly, catching the attention of the other Leaguers as he sat up and stared back at them, Wonder Woman standing back up in slight surprise. "You all can drop the act of playing nice while Batman is away. I know what you all think of me, I could hear you talking." He growled out, gesturing to his ears. "Enhanced hearing. Just one of the perks of being _dead_." He growled, glaring at Wonder Woman.

 _Great, I haven't even done anything and these guys already have an opinion of me. Well guess that means it's time to hide all insecurities in thick layers of ass-itude._ He smirked to himself, expanding his glare to the others in the room.

Flash coughed softly before leaning over to Hawkgirl. "We really should've gotten a list of his powers from Batman." He murmured, the woman rolling her eyes at the man's statement.

A long period of awkward silence followed before Superman stepped forward. "Umm.." He started, only for Phantom to fold his arms. "What, Boy Scout?" He sighed in annoyance.

 _Definitely_ _Batman's._ Superman muttered to himself before clearing his throat. "I'm sorry if we offended you, Phantom. We're just . . . . a little confused, that's all. We don't really know that much about you other than the fact Batman seems comfortable around you, so we're merely trying to fill in the gapes."

Phantom sighed and wrapped the blanket tighter around himself, only for Flash to _slowly_ walk over, placing a hand on the teen's shoulder. "Look, I think we all kind of got off on the wrong foot. So maybe we could go and . . . . .talk. _Just_ talk. No accusations. No threats. No judgments. Just talk."

Phantom lowered his gaze in thought, hesitation blatantly showing, until Flash leaned down and whispered in his ear, "We really _do_ have a lot of food in the kitchen."

Phantom sighed softly before a small smile formed on his lips. "Alright, guess it couldn't hurt." He stopped and glanced at Flash once more. "It won't hurt, right. You guys don't have some crazy food that tries to eat you back, do you?"

John smirked and turned towards Flash. "Guess you're not the only one who reads too many comic books, huh?"

Phantom furrowed his brow before glancing up. "What's a comic book?"

Everyone froze in their tracks before slowly turning towards the kid. Flash blinked in his spot before shaking his head, placing both hands on the teen's shoulders. "Kid, don't worry. You might be dead, but you're about to start living!"

* * *

Phantom placed a hand to his eyes, laughing loudly as he held the comic. "This is the dumbest thing I've ever seen in my entire life!" He gasped out, the others around the table chuckling as well, watching as flash frowned. "Well what's wrong with it?" He asked.

Phantom glanced back up. "What's _not_ wrong with it? Nothing in this thing even makes sense! It's completely ridiculous." He chuckled.

Flash huffed as the others continued to laugh. "Well fine, Give it back." He mumbled, only for Phantom to pull the large stack of books closer to him. "Hold on! They might be completely stupid, but that doesn't mean they aren't readable. I must read to make fun. That's like the entire philosophy of sucky things! Why else do people go and watch awful monster movies?"

"He makes a valid point." Hawkgirl smirked, Flash rolling his eyes.

Superman chuckled before turning back to the teen. "So Phantom, what made you want to stick by the Bat?" He asked, the others perking at the question, finding themselves curious to the answer as well.

Phantom shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Maybe it's cause the guy's a total blast. I mean, I am literally _never_ bored when I go on patrol with him. Even when we're doing stake outs. I always find a way to bug him, so that keeps me entertained for a good few hours." The others chuckled at that, picturing the teen flying around a simmering Batman.

"Or maybe it's cause he's such a bad-ass. I mean, do you guys know anybody else scarier than Batman?" He asked, not surprised when they shook their heads. "Exactly, this is a guy who can literally make people shit themselves just by glaring at them." He chuckled, the others nodding their heads in solemn understanding.

Phantom paused for a moment before continuing. "But I think it's really because he's . . . . safe." He stated, the others quickly quieting down at the statement. Phantom shrugged his shoulders. "I've never really been one to stay in one place for very long. Usually it's one city then another, always moving, always migrating."

"But . . . . Gotham was different. I guess the first sign of that was when I first saved Batman's life in the museum. That moment made me feel . . . . important. That I was actually meant to be there. Meant to be . . . . somewhere, for once. And I guess I wanted to feel that again. So I found him again. And I never left him alone afterwards." He explained, total silence following his words, the others listening intently.

"When I'm around Batman, I feel . . . . . different." He said softly, never realizing he was sharing much more than he first anticipated. "I feel like someone actually wants me around, which is a strange feeling for a ghost, considering most people think we're creepy and evil." He sighed. "But . . . .when Batman first saw me, he didn't run away. He didn't attack me. He didn't treat me differently just because I was a ghost."

"I guess I wanted more of that. I wanted that feeling of normalcy. And believe it or not, Batman is normal to me. He's _my_ normal. He makes _me_ feel normal." He lowered his gaze and fiddled with his fingers. "Most people I've met in the past kind of . . . . hate me. They think all I'll ever be is . . . a ghost. Batman's different. He makes me feel . . . . safe. "

The teen chuckled a bit. "When you've never really had a home before, you start to realize _"home"_ is more of a relative term. It just means somewhere you feel safe. So, to me . . . . Batman is home."

The Leaguers stayed silent for a moment before Superman placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Well, now Batman isn't the only one you can feel safe with." He stated, smiling warmly at the boy, who returned the gesture. "Thanks, Boy Scout." He smirked, the man ruffling his hair at the name, which he was certain would never leave.

Hawkgirl chuckled in her seat, John's arm draped over her shoulder while her legs sat propped up on the table in front of them. "So, Casper, just what do your powers extend to?" She asked.

The teen smirked before grabbing a bag of chips from the pile of food that had been placed in the center of the table. Tossing the bag to her, he gestured towards the air. "Throw it." He said.

The others quickly positioned themselves so that they could see the display, Hawkgirl shrugging before throwing the bag into the air. Phantom lifted his hand and pointed with two fingers towards the bag, a bright green light beginning to lick at his skin. Suddenly, a concentrated beam of energy shot from the teen's fingers, hitting the bag square in the center, which exploded instantly, chips and burning plastic slowly falling to the floor.

Drawing his fingers back, Phantom blew the smoke away from his fingers and threw a cheeky smirk at the woman, who slowly clapped at the display. "Impressive." Diana smiled, only for Phantom to place an apple into her hand. "That's not all." He chuckled.

The woman glanced at Superman and Flash before tossing the fruit into the air. Lifting his head, Phantom's eyes began to glow a bright blue, highly contrasting to his vibrant green ones, a beam of blue light firing from his eyes, hitting the apple as it fell, turning it to ice, which shattered upon contact with the floor.

Flash laughed. "Awesome! Now we have someone to go against Superman's heat-vision!" He chuckled, the Kryptonian rolling his eyes at the statement.

John smirked at the teen. "Not bad, kid. No wonder Batman keeps you around."

Phantom chuckled. "Please, he couldn't get rid of me even if he tried." He smirked, the others chuckling once more.

Superman patted the kid on the shoulder. "I have to say, Casper. I've never seen Batman look so relaxed before." He smirked, Phantom tilting his head in confusion. "Guess you really are beginning to rub off on him." He stated, Diana nodding her head.

"I must agree. He seemed genuinely reluctant to leave you here."

Flash smirked. "Guess that feeling of yours is mutual with him." The man smirked, Phantom chuckling as well, yet only half-listening to the speedster now. Was is really true? Did the Dark Knight actually . . . . . .care about him?

Phantom felt a genuine smile begin to form on his face as the thought sank into his mind before Flash bounced in his seat next to him, pulling another comic book from the large pile next to him. "Alright, Casper. Moving on. Tales from Outer Space; Issue 48: The Swamp Creatures of Kethar!" He grinned while the others groaned around him, Phantom snickering in his seat.

* * *

Batman quickly stalked through the halls, intent on finding Phantom and bringing the kid home. His mission with J'onn had taken a little longer than he had anticipated, longer by at least a few hours. He could only hope Spooks had been able to survive such time with Superman and . . . . . _Flash_.

The man shuddered at the thought.

Though the man suspected the kid would be alright, he wasn't prepared for what he found in the kitchen.

Hawkgirl and John sat at the table, talking quietly while Superman and Diana put newly dried dishes into their respective cabinets. On the other side of the large table, Flash and Phantom lay back to back, an open comic sitting on Flash's face, while another sat clutched in Phantom's grip. Both snored softly, their chests slowly rising up and down as they slept.

The man raised a brow as he walked over, Superman patting the man on the shoulder. "That's a pretty great kid you got there, Batman." He stated, grabbing a seat by the table next to John and Hawkgirl.

Batman sighed and placed a hand on Phantom's head, gently brushing the loose bangs out of the teen's face. "Yeah, I know." He said softly as Diana walked over, placing a hand on the man's shoulder, a smile forming on her face as she watched the man gaze at the teen.

Suddenly, Batman lifted his head, turning a hard look at the others. "You guys _are_ waking him up every once in awhile to make sure he's conscious, _right?_ " He asked, watching as they bolted upright, eyes widening slightly as they blinked in shock. The Dark Knight sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "He literally _just_ got a concussion!"

* * *

 **VOCAB OF THE DAY:**

 **Ass-itude**

 **~the act of giving attitude while simultaneously being a compete asshole**

 **THE MORE YOU KNOW**

 **That is a legitimate concern for people with concussions, right? My sister got a concussion once and my mom (who is a nurse) had to wake her up every once in a while to make sure she hadn't slipped into a coma, so I'm just going on that.**

 **Anyway, you all got to see what Danny really thinks of Batman, so there you go.**

 **Thanks to these people for favoriting and/or following: _EcoReibun, GeminiAngel236, StarlightSparrow, boopkity, jeanette9a, trixangel103_**

 **Reviews:**

 **Tsukiko K: Daddy Bats is best Bat**

 **YouCanOnlyPretend: It seems all I like are the classic cartoons: Danny Phantom, Powerpuff Girls, TMNT, Looney Toons, Tom and Jerry, My Life As A Teenage Robot, Teen Titans, etc. (basically everything that had been cancelled :()**

 **peppmint: Yeah, I'm sure the League would help Danny. Too bad he's like the king of all pessimists. Oh well, on the bright side, the hard way is usually the most entertaining for readers so . . . . . SILVER-LININGS!**

 **little miss BANANNA HEAD: I love the Daddy Bats relationship. It's one of teh most adorable I can ever have the honor of experiencing in my lifetime (might be exaggerating a bit, but whatever!)**

 **Is-this-a-good-name: I did warn you. Sorry but I can't really afford anything right now so you're kind of on your own. Besides, I put a warning. Anyway, might want to get those stitches soon and keep that doctor's card because more, sharper, longer claws are heading your way!**

 **italylikespasta12: My name is Rachel. Hi . . . . . It takes a lot for Danny to really embrace anything at this point.**

 **Lucifer's711: Get ready for cuteness overloads!**


	11. Chapter 11: Tuck and Roll

**Chapter 11: Tuck and Roll**

Phantom had always loved space.

Ever since he could remember, he had wanted to venture out into the endless black void, see things that only a privileged few would ever be able to witness. Millions of planets, and even more stars littered the vast expense, creating light in an otherwise pitch black universe.

And the best part was that space was _limitless_. There were no boundaries, no walls, no barriers. Just endless space, extending out forever. There was always more to explore, always more to see, to discover. The adventure would never be over, because _space_ would never be _over._ It would always be there, creating new adventures, new discoveries.

So, safe to say, Phantom was pretty happy in just staring out the window whenever he was up in the Watchtower, which seemed like most of the time now. Ever since he had met the Cape Club around a month and a half ago, he had been coming up more and more often to the point where he would come every time Batman was called up for something important.

The Dark Knight didn't really mind. At least now, the teen had more people to bug other than him. He also noticed the kid would also find joy in coming with the League on different missions, so much so that he had heard Flash talking with the others about making the kid an official member.

Of course, the idea had been shot down immediately, especially by Batman, who claimed fighting crime in Gotham was one thing, but fighting crime in the universe was a whole other problem. The others had agreed with him, of course, but that didn't stop Flash from settling with JLA trainee.

Phantom didn't really mind, as long as he got to go back home with Batman at the end of the day, they could do whatever they pleased. Though, the teen noticed, throughout the past month, the other Leaguers had been growing on him. At least, much more than he would have first anticipated.

He found he had more to talk about with them than he first thought, allowing him to finally realize why Batman kept them around.

The sound of footsteps brought him out of his thoughts, causing him to turn his head away from the window. Superman approached, tossing the teen an apple. Phantom reflexively caught it, snorting slightly. Ever since he had first come up, the Leaguers had been providing him food whenever they could, seeing how skinny he was. The fact he was a ghost kind of seemed to go over their head, but he didn't really mind. It was the best fed he had been in years.

"Hey, Boy Scout." The teen smirked, watching as Superman sat down on the other side of the windowsill, rolling his eyes at the nickname.

"What's caught your eye for the past half-hour?" The man asked, having noticed the teen staring off at nothing from across the room while he worked.

Phantom shrugged his shoulders. "Everything." He sighed, glancing out the window once more. "It's so big, kind of hard to take it all in, which is what leads me to staring for a good couple hours every time I come up here." The teen smirked.

Superman gazed out the window once more and chuckled. "I'm going to take a guess that you like space."

"Love it. It's so . . . . . mysterious. Most people don't know anything about it."

The Kryptonian smiled as he stared out the window for a moment as well, taking in the deep black that stretched as far as could be seen. "You know . . . . . I _do_ happen to know a little bit about these particular stars, considering I've flown through this galaxy a couple dozen times." He teased, watching as Phantom whipped his head towards him, leaning forward, eyes sparking wide.

"Tell . . . . me . . . . . everything."

Superman chuckled before wrapping an arm around the teen's shoulder, pulling him closer so he could seen the same stars as the man. "Well . . . . . . you see that large small prick of light over there?" He asked, Phantom hesitating for a moment before nodding.

"Actually a dying star that's soon to go out. Soon being another million years, give or take."

Phantom grinned as he stared at the small dot before turning back to the man. "More . . . . ." He whispered.

Superman snorted before turning back to the window, the two quickly becoming lost in the vast sea in front of them.

. . . . .

"So you actually come from an island with a population consisting entirely of women?" Phantom asking, watching as Diana rummaged through the refrigerator.

The woman chuckled before pulling her head out of the open fridge door, tossing the teen a candy bar while grabbing a bottle of water for herself. She nodded her head before walking over, taking a seat across from the teen. She hummed in confirmation as she opened the bottle.

Phantom nodded slowly in thought. "No men . . . . at all?"

"None whatsoever."

The teen furrowed his brow before lifting his gaze once more. "So how do you keep the island populated?" He asked, not really understanding the laws of the island.

Diana smiled at the teen's curiosity, finding it a rare pleasure to actually share history from her island. "We were shaped from clay and given new lives, granting us enhanced physical strength, acute senses and beauty. We were trained in fighting skills and raised to love one another." She explained, watching as the kid listened intently.

"Themyscira has all the essentials needed for life to thrive. Food, water and clean air. Nothing has been polluted by Man's touch, nor are there any reminders of the outside world and the cruelties that come with it." The Amazonian explained.

Phantom paused for a moment before turning back to her. "Why on _earth_ would you leave?" He asked.

Diana chuckled softly. "I was needed elsewhere. I could not abandon Man's World as my mother had. I knew it needed my help, so I offered it. Now, I am one of its heroes. I guess the Gods had a different plan for me after all." She smiled, Phantom nodding his head in understanding.

"So . . . . _those_ are magical?" He asked, gesturing towards the lasso around the woman's waist and the tiara atop her head.

Diana nodded, placing the lasso into the teen's hands.

Phantom picked up the glowing golden rope, running his fingers along the bumpy edges. He smirked and turned back to the Amazonian princess. "You know, we could totally have wicked game of Jump Rope with this thing. Oh, oh! Or Tug-o-War! Yeah, that'd be awesome!"

Diana rolled her eyes, now beginning to notice why Batman dropped the kid off here sometimes, not that she minded. It was strange, she had to admit. But Phantom reminded her of a Little Sister. But . . . . of the male kind. What were they called? Brothers?

Hmm . . . . strange.

. . . . .

Phantom took a sip from the milkshake in his hands before setting the drink back onto the floor next to the beanbag he currently occupied. Across the room, Flash sat on the bed he used whenever he slept over at the Watchtower, which wasn't too often.

The pair was currently residing in the Flash's rarely-used room, stacks of comics piled up on either side of the two, different snack bags and crumpled paper cups scattered around the room. Safe to say, the two had kind of lost track of time while bickering over different comics, trying to decide which was best, which was worst, and which was the funniest, also known as the dumbest.

The teen scanned the new page, eyes flickering over the boxes before flipping the page, quickly moving onto the next one. Despite never surpassing a third-grade education, the teen was a pretty fast speed-reader, which made comics last only a few minutes before the next one was needed.

Thankfully, the same problem resided in Flash, considering the man was the fastest at pretty much everything, which also included reading.

Flash quickly finished the last page before closing the comic, turning his head towards Phantom. "You know, you're a pretty weird kid, Casper."

"Random . . . . but okay."

"No, I'm serious." Flash stated, sitting up from his position on the bed, causing the teen to lift his gaze. "I've literally never met a kid as strange as you. And that isn't just because you're a ghost." He added, Phantom tilting his head, gesturing for man to elaborate.

Flash rolled his eyes but continued anyway. "I mean, you're not really afraid to get on someone's bad side. You say whatever's on your mind, and you never seem to get bothered by really anything. And, possibly the most strange of all, you're friends with _Batman._ The frikkin _Batman!"_ He shouted.

Phantom rolled his eyes. "He's not that bed once you get to know him."

"Yeah, but I've known him for a few years now, and he _still_ scares me every once in awhile." He stated, the teen smirking in his seat.

"Yeah, well you're not so normal yourself, Flash. On a team like this, I'd never expect someone to act so-"

"Awesome? Charming? Intelligent?"

"Stupid." The teen quipped, Flash lazily throwing an empty cup at the teen's head, who smirked before phasing through the projectile. "Shit, forgot you could do that." The speedster muttered, earning another grin from the ghost.

Nevertheless, Flash shrugged his shoulders. "Well I guess you kind of need someone like _me_ on a team like _this_. Without someone to lighten the mood, everybody would be all dark and broody." He said, crossing his arms in defense.

The two remained silent for a moment, taking in the man's words before thy turned towards each other.

"Just like Batman." They said simultaneously, large smirks appearing on their faces. Soon, their smirks turned into spouts of full-blown laughter, which seemed to echo down the halls of the Watchtower, putting to ease all the curiosities held by the other Leaguers as to where the Ghost Boy could be.

. . . . .

"What's the point of this?!" Phantom shouted, flipping over on his back as he flew through the air to glance at those who flew behind him. Hawkgirl dove towards the ground while GL flew up, each quickly closing in on the teen. Phantom rolled his eyes and quickly became intangible, flying through the pair before flipping around in the air, coming to hover above them, hands on his hips.

GL smirked at him. "Come on, kid. You can't tell me you've never trained before."

The teen shrugged his shoulders. "Never really seen the point before." He confessed, dodging out of the way as Hawkgirl charged him. "Always seemed like of pointless."

"Pointless?" The woman echoed incredulously, rounding about again. From the floor, a group of small machines sprouted up, laser aiming directly at the three heroes. Hawkgirl flew down, ramming her mace into a few of the robots while Phantom and Lantern each fired separate green blasts at the others.

"Yes, pointless. I already know how to use my powers, and I know how to use them properly. I've just never really seen the point before." The teen explained, phasing through another laser.

Lantern cocked a brow. "Well if you don't train on a daily basis, how'd you get so good at handling your powers?" He asked, firing a beam of his own at the kid, who easily created a green shield, the blast bouncing off harmlessly.

Phantom shrugged his shoulders. "I guess it's kind of like riding a bike. Once you start, it's kind of rickety. But after a while you start to get the hang of it, and the more you work, the better you get until you're an expert Then it just kind of sticks with you, never forgetting." He explained, flying around Hawkgirl's attack before firing a beam of ice from his eyes, hitting her mace head on, freezing the metal completely.

She stared at the weapon before glancing back at Phantom, who threw her a smirk. "And safe to say I've gotten pretty good at riding _this_ bike." He chuckled.

Hawkgirl quickly lit up her mace, the ice crackling off. Lantern smirked and flew down to the control panel below. "Alright, hot-shot. Then let's ramp this thing up."

Phantom smirked and lit up his own hands in glowing green energy.

"Bring it on."

. . . . .

J'onn typed at the main computer silently, the only noise in the large room coming from the quick tapping as his fingers hit the keys. At the moment, he was the only one in the large room, finding himself alone as he conducted his research.

Well . . . . . almost alone.

He could sense his young visitor watching invisibly from the rafters, not letting on that he even knew the boy was around. In all honesty, he almost couldn't tell the teen was in the room. Shockingly, the teen's mind was much different from the others, and much harder to penetrate. It was almost as if the teen had put up mental barriers around himself.

But why? What was the teen hiding? What memories was he trying to lock himself away from?

Even through the barriers, J'onn could tell the teen was upset . . . . and terrified of something. He just couldn't understand what. All he could pick up on from the boy was his emotions. Not his thoughts, not his troubles, merely his feelings.

And that was enough for the martian to tell the teen was a good kid. He was merely afraid. Afraid of something bad. Something dangerous. Perhaps that was why he hung out at the Watchtower so much. Perhaps he was trying to distance himself from those troubles. Perhaps he wanted to be around people he felt safe with.

Whatever the reason, J'onn actually found himself enjoying the teen's presence. Whenever he was around, the boy would ask about space and what Mars was like before. J'onn was happy to share his experiences with the curious teen, who always seemed happy whenever he was seen.

Nevertheless, J'onn knew.

The teen _wasn't_ happy.

He was terrified.

The martian wished he could as the boy about it, but he knew it wasn't his place to question the teen, especially if he was scared. For all he knew, he might frighten the kid away. If that happened, then who knew if they would be able to help him.

So, he would just have to hope the teen would be able to share his troubles. If not with them . . . . . then at least with Batman.

And hopefully soon.

. . . . .

Phantom watched curiously as the Dark Knight tinkered with a device below him, screwing in different parts or tossing them out. The teen was currently invisible, watching from the rafters as he had done with the martian. The pair was currently alone in the lab, silence except for the sound of metal softly hitting metal as Batman screwed in different parts or snapped wires.

As Phantom crawled across the rafters on his hands and knees, he tilted his head curiously as he watched the Caped Crusader, noticing his movements were similar to his own whenever he created a new invention, something he hadn't done in a while.

As he pondered what sort of creation he could create next, he almost didn't hear when Batman called out to him, quickly startling him out of his thoughts.

"You can come out now." He called, waiting for a moment for a response, only to receive one in the form of soft feet hitting the floor. The Dark Knight rolled his eyes but continued to work nonetheless.

Walking closer, Phantom noticed that the device was a small glass box, different metallic pieces lining the edges while a small black panel sat on one of the glass sides. The teen tilted his head and hovered into the air, resting his elbows on the Dark Knight's shoulders. "What'cha working on?" He asked.

Batman cast the teen a small glance before turning back to the device. "An atmospheric cube that hopefully will be able to replicate the conditions of Mars atmosphere so that it can transport and hold soil samples and new plant growths effectively." He explained, not really expecting the teen to take much interest in the work, only to blink as the kid flew closer.

"Cool. How long until it's done?" He asked.

Batman shrugged. "It's almost done now, actually. Probably a few hours more to calibrate the systems one more time." He explained, watching as Phantom nodded his head.

He hesitated for a moment before turning towards the teen. "This stuff interests you?" He asked, Phantom nodding quickly.

"Oh yeah, I'm real big on creating new things. I actually work on some things back home." He explained, folding his legs underneath him into a lotus position while hovering in front of the Dark Knight. "Unfortunately, most of my equipment isn't really up to par. So, most of the time, it's just junk." He explained.

"Of course, there are some times where I accidentally built mini-bombs." He said, a guilty smile forming on his face.

Batman furrowed his brow and set down his tools, turning towards the teen. "How the heck do you make a bomb without meaning to?"

Phantom shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea. Although, sometimes my inventions catch fire even when they shouldn't even have the _capabilities_ of catching fire." He smirked.

Batman shook his head before pausing. He smirked and glanced back up. "You know, I have more tools back at the Batcave. If you want, I could show you the ropes in, you know, _not_ setting things on fire accidentally." He smirked.

Phantom grinned and flew closer. "Really?" He squeaked.

The Dark Knight nodded his head as he turned back towards the machine, only to be bowled over by a black and white blur. Blinking open his eyes once more, he found himself laying flat on the floor, a bubbling teen now hovering inches above him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" The teen grinned, green eyes shining brightly.

Batman shoved the teen off of him and stood up once more, brushing himself off before grabbing his chair once more, a small smirk appearing on his face, nonetheless.

Suddenly, the room was bathed in flashing red light as a loud alarm sounded above them. Phantom jumped and quickly shifted closer to Batman, the bright lights and loud sirens causing distant memories to bubble through. Batman placed a hand on the teen's shoulder comfortingly, sensing his fear before quickly racing out of the room, Phantom hovering by him as he ran.

Entering the main room, they noticed Superman already typing commands into the computer. "What is it?" Batman growled, the others Leaguers quickly approaching.

Typing into the computer once more, Superman pulled up a news report, quickly turning up the volume.

 _"There is pandemonium in the streets. Hordes of strange figures have been seen roaming the streets, flipping cars, shattering windows and destroying nearby establishments."_ The reporter stated, quickly ducking his head as a strange green figure floated past his head, eyes glowing red as he zoomed past.

Behind the man, many other creatures littered the streets, each different shapes and sizes, some being the size of cars while others were the size of a closed fists. People screamed as they sped down the streets, the creatures hot on their tails.

 _"There have been similar reports of these creatures attacking coming from Gotham, Central and Star City. And whatever they are, it doesn't seem like they're going to be leaving anytime soon. Through all the chaos, there are reports of a recent prison break, freeing Solomon Grundy, Volcana, Copperhead and others. This is Snapper Carr reporting."_

The transmission quickly cut off, leaving the Leaguers in a shocked state. "Okay . . . . . what the heck were those things?" Flash asked, turning towards the others.

"They're ghosts."

Everyone quickly turned towards Phantom, whose arms were now crossed over his chest in an annoyed fashion.

"Ghosts?" Batman echoed.

The teen nodded his head. "Yep. They must have found a way out of the Ghost Zone again." He muttered, sighing as he received another round of strange looks. "The Ghost Zone: where all ghosts come from, the flip side of Earth." He explained.

"They shouldn't be _too_ bad, though. If you beat them bad enough, they won't think being around is worth it and more than likely go back home." He explained. "In fact, the bigger problem will probably be those prison escapees." He stated.

Hawkgirl furrowed her brow. "So, if they're ghosts, how do we fight them?

Phantom hummed in consideration for a moment before turning back to the others. "I might have some stuff back home that could help. Hawkgirl, your mace should be able to affect them as it is, and Lantern, your ring should as well." He explained.

Batman nodded in understand before turning to the others. "Alright, Lantern, Hawkgirl, get out there and do what you can. The rest of us will go with Phantom. We'll regroup once we're done." He explained, the others nodding in understanding as they began to make their way towards the hangar.

Phantom felt a pang of fear beginning to gnaw at his stomach but he quickly pushed it down as they entered the Javelin. He could worry about himself later. Right now he had to worry about the Leaguers and how he could help him.

As the thought passed, he blinked slightly in shock.

 _Damn, what happened to me?_

* * *

"So . . . . . . nice place?" Flash stated, unsure of how to respond to what was in front of him. The group was currently staring up at an old abandoned apartment building, the front door all boarded up, along with many of the different windows that ran up the side.

In the distance, the sound of police sirens and crashing metal could be heard, no doubt from the unfriendly visitors running through the streets.

Phantom rolled his eyes before walking up to the front door. He glanced at the boarded up entrance before shrugging his shoulders. "Well . . . . never tired going through the front door before. Guess that'll be new." He muttered to himself before phasing through the door.

As they waited for the teen to return, the Leaguers, minus Hawkgirl and GL, glanced at each other in shock. "He actually lives here?" Wonder Woman gaped, turning towards the others.

Batman shook his head. "I could never get him to tell me where he lived. I tried placing a tracker on him once, but knowing him, he found it immediately. And even if he didn't, with all the phasing he does, it would have fallen right off." He muttered, glaring up at the decrepit building. "If I'd known . . . . ." He murmured to himself. Why hadn't the teen told him?

Suddenly, the door was blasted off by a large green blast, Phantom quickly stepping out. "I . . uh . . . . couldn't find the key." He chuckled nervously before the others quickly followed him inside. Safe to say, the inside wasn't much better than the inside.

The walls were cracked and covered in mysterious stains. The floorboards creaked with every step you took, and the occasional rat would scurry by, hiss, and then disappear back into the broken walls. Phantom took no notice as he led the group down a flight of stairs.

At the bottom, a locked wooden door sat silently. Reaching his hand out, Phantom turned his fingers intangible and quickly unlocked the doors, a large gust of chilling wind instantly hitting everybody hard as the doors opened.

The Leaguers gasped in shock.

Support pillars sat scattered around the room, stretching from the floor up the low-hanging ceiling. A bare mattress sat in the corner of the room, a wrinkled pile of thin blankets sitting on top. On the floor, empty cans of soda and crumpled bags of chips lay, along with a few wrinkled sheets of papers, each holding scrapped invention ideas. In the center of the room sat a wooden table, a small laptop, radio and police scanner sitting on top. And against the back wall, another table sat underneath a small window, different wallets, watches and jewelry sitting atop, along with a few empty pill bottles.

Batman narrowed his eyes upon seeing the dark, damp room. He quickly cast Phantom a knowing glare, the teen lowering his gaze, knowing he would be chewed out the second they were alone for this kept secret. Nevertheless, Phantom quickly moved over to the back of the room, quickly walking over to his mattress.

Pushing the bed out of the way, he revealed a small door in the floor. Wrapping his hand around the handle, he pulled up and revealed a small hole in the floor, leading down the dirt base of the apartment structure, as well as about three feet of empty space between the basement floor and the dirt level. In those three feet, a large pile of machines had been stashed.

Quickly pulling out the weapons, Phantom turned back towards the others. "Alright, Superman, Flash, J'onn put these on." He instructed, handing them metallic gloves with stretched out wires that resembled the hand of a skeleton. Easily slipping them on, the teen moved over and pressed a small button on the sides of the gloves, the men glancing at the now glowing devices on their hands. "That should allow you to hit a ghost as well as if you were hitting a human." He stated.

Moving over to Wonder Woman, he placed a shining blaster into her hand. "This . . . . well you get the idea." He stated. "It'll stun them, not kill them, well . . . um . . .you know what I mean." He muttered before moving over to Batman, who was still giving him a disapproving glance.

"And I know guns aren't really your style . . . ." The teen said softly, averting his eyes as he grabbed the next weapon. "But this should work for you." He explained, handing the man a glowing bo-staff and a few glowing projectiles. Batman nodded in understanding before turning to the others, gesturing for them to get going.

They glanced at Phantom, whose arms were crossed almost defensively as he stared at the ground. They hesitated for a moment before nodding, quickly walking back up the stairs. Batman waited until they were gone before swiftly turning back towards the teen. "We're talking about this later." He growled out, watching as the teen softly nodded his head.

Phantom waited until Batman began to walk up the stairs and left his sight before whipping around, opening his laptop quickly. Hurriedly hitting the _call_ button, he tapped his foot impatiently until the screen popped up and split into two, revealing the faces of Sam and Tucker.

"What's going-" Tucker started, only for Phantom to cut him off.

"No time to explain. But we're kind of in the middle of a ghost invasion. Just . . . stay inside. Once this is all over, I'll come and check up on you guys myself." he whispered hurriedly, running a shaky hand through his hair.

The two teens on the screen noticed how shaken the teen looked, quickly falling concerned. "Are you alright, Da-" Sam asked, Phantom quickly shushing her before she could finish.

"Quiet, I can't have any of the Leaguers hearing, especially Batman." He explained, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

Tucker furrowed his brow. "You still haven't told them?" He asked, watching as Phantom shook his head.

"No, and I still can't. I still need more time. Besides, this ghost invasion isn't going to help my case at all. They're _finally_ beginning to trust me. I . . .I just need to build on that and maybe . . . ." He trailed off before resting his head in his head. "Oh, what am I doing guys? This is hopeless! I . . . I can't do this. I can't believe I ever thought I could do this!" He shouted to himself, his friends listening intently.

"It's . . . it's just all so much. I'm tired of lying to them! But . . . . I just can't tell them yet. I can't! Especially not after this. This will just prove everything they once thought about ghosts. And right now, I'm literally the only thing that's stopping them from thinking all ghosts are like that. Evil, mindless, maniacal. And . . . . if I reveal myself now. . . . if I tell them it's all been a lie . . ."

"We get it. It won't be pretty." Sam sighed. "Just . . . . . be careful." She said softly.

"Yeah man. You don't look to good." Tucker added.

Phantom smirked slightly. "What do you expect? I've never been a ghost for so long. Being dead is bound to take a toll." He muttered before shutting off the call. He sighed and rubbed his face, trying to calm himself down for a minute.

And in that minute, Phantom never noticed the figure that stood at the bottom of the stairs, whose past suspicions were now becoming clearer and clearer.

* * *

Firing a bright green blast from his palm, Phantom smirked as the ghost was quickly blown backwards, ramming into one of the nearby cars. Glaring at the teen for a moment, the ghost hesitated before flying up into the air, quickly disappearing from sight.

Turning back around, Phantom gasped and dodged underneath a flying car that zoomed past his head. Whipping back around, he barely had time to move before a large fist slammed into his chest, sending him tumbling across the pavement.

Glaring back up, the teen watched as Grundy charged once more, roaring in rage. Flying into the air, the teen flipped over the zombie and fired a blast of ice, hitting the creature in the back, encasing him in a block of ice. A single moment passed before the block shattered into a million pieces, Grundy snarling as he broke through.

"Great, I finally meet someone as undead as me and I can't even enjoy it." He muttered to himself before flying forward, ramming his shoulder into Grundy's gut, sending both figures tumbling across the ground. Flying back into the air, Phantom fired a barrage of green blasts at the zombie, quickly losing him in a large plume of smoke.

Landing back on the ground, Phantom watched as the dust dispersed, revealing Grundy, standing still as a statue before leaning forward, slamming face-first into the cement

The teen let out a sigh of relief, taking a moment to look around. Batman fought farther down the street, smashing another ghost into the ground with the staff. Every once in awhile, a red blur would zoom past, signifying Flash had returned from Central City, having finally cleaned things up there. Above them, Wonder Woman and Superman were fighting some of the ghosts flying past, tossing them around in the air like rag dolls, and J'onn had recently left to lend aid to GL and Hawkgirl

Phantom blinked in surprise as the sound of loud laughter began to fill his ears. Glancing up into the air, he noticed two shapes flying past. A small chuckle escaped his lips as he flew up, quickly telling Superman and Wonder Woman to stand down. The pair glanced at him in surprise, Batman glancing up as he took notice.

The sight of Phantom quickly made the two ghosts stop their flight. Flying closer, large smiles appeared on their faces as they caught sight of him. One was a girl with bright blue hair that flickered like a flame, and the other was a small child with pale, freckled skin and green hair.

"Phantom!" They greeted, quickly enveloping the teen in a hug, the kid quickly returning it. "Ember, Youngblood! What are you guys doing here?" He asked.

The girl, Ember shrugged her shoulders. "Just thought it'd be a good change of pace. Strange returning here, though. Never really thought I would after . . . . you know." She sighed, Phantom nodding solemnly. The girl quickly snapped out of it as she wrapped an arm around the teen's neck. "You've grown, Dipstick. You're almost as tall as me now." She grinned, Youngblood chuckling besides her.

Phantom rolled his eyes and pulled away, quickly becoming serious once more. "Hey, a need a favor. Do you think you could talk some of these ghosts into heading back home?" He asked.

Ember and Youngblood exchanged a look before nodding. "Sure, I might even be able to convince Skulker to help."

"Still wants my pelt?"

"Yep, really creeps me out." The girl grimaced.

Phantom shook his head in disbelief. "I still can't believe it. And after all the trouble I went through in helping him escape." He muttered, Ember placing a hand on his shoulder. "You know we're all grateful to you for that." She said softly, the teen slowly nodding his head.

The girl quickly pulled away and flew higher into the air. "Alright, we'll get right in it, Dipstick." She grinned, Phantom yelling out a quick thanks as they disappeared before flying back down towards the ground.

"What was that all about?" Batman asked, swatting away another ghost.

Phantom waved him off. "Tell you later." He shouted back, firing another beam at a nearby ghost.

Wonder Woman quickly flew down, hand on her ear as she turned to the others. "Hawkgirl and GL have Volcana cornered." She announced, the others nodding their heads in understanding as they watched the woman fly off, leaving them to fend off against the ghosts, who were finally beginning to get the message of _Get The Hell Out_.

* * *

Finally, after a few more hours of giving ghosts and prison escapees the boot, the Leaguers found themselves finishing off the very last ghost, Superman quickly throwing it into the air, where it shook its head and quickly fled.

Phantom let out a tired sigh as he rested his back against one of the nearby cars. He shut his eyes and let the cold wind wrap around him, cooling any wounds he might have received. Though his eyes were forced open once more at the sound of approaching footsteps.

Lifting his eyes, he watched as the Leaguers slowly approached, stopping in front of him. Each held looks of confusion and concern, the teen feeling the uncomfortable atmosphere beginning to grow around them.

The Leaguers quickly parted, though, as Batman approached.

 _Piss Waffles!_

"Phantom, you have some explaining to do." The man said sternly, eyes narrowed as he stared at the teen.

Phantom lowered his gaze, heart pounding loudly as he tried to figure out what to say. Couldn't explain his interaction with Ember. That would lead to _them_. Couldn't explain why he had anti-ghost weapons, being a ghost himself. That would also lead to _them._ And he also couldn't explain why his _"home_ " was so . . . . . well horrible. Cause guess what! It would also lead to _those fuckers_!

So the teen resorted to his fail-safe and did what he did best. . . . . .

He narrowed his eyes and glared at the people in front of him. "I said later, so we'll deal with this _later!"_ He snarled, quickly turning invisible as he flew into the air, no destination really in mind, only the will to get as far away as possible.

. . . . . . push everyone away.

* * *

 **Not the most exciting chapter, I know. But I'm just so pumped for the next one. That is where things really start to get heated.**

 **Thanks to these people for favoriting and/or following the story: _Mirria1, Raalina_**

 **Reviews:**

 **Naluforever3: Yeah, the feels are going to hi you hard in about four to five chapters.**

 **PeterPan0429: Yeah, I will explain the timeline and everything with the past events soon. Just be patient. :)**

 **YouCanOnlyPretend: Are you kidding? I live for people's rants. They show what people think in large burst of anger and frustration. They are kind of what makes life living (another exaggeration, but whatever. Sue me!)**

 **AwesomeMan327: Guess we'll just have to wait and see.**

 **Miss Suger Unicorn: Cause all fancifs are best at two in the morning, especially when you have that fear of your parents opening the door and seeing you on your phone, fangirling over something or other.**

 **gewncarson126: THANK YOU ONE AGAIN (P.S. just wondering but why do you write in caps all the time?)**

 **wiseguy2415: He's already had that suspicion for a long time**

 **jeanette9a: That would be fan-flippin-tastic. I frikkin love Edna Mode. She is like my inspiration.**


	12. Chapter 12: Frozen

**Chapter 12: Frozen**

Danny felt a growl begin to bubble in his throat as he heard the soft beeping of the communicator drifting up from underneath his pillow. His efforts to quiet the noise had not done much apparently. Nevertheless, the teen merely rolled over onto his side, choosing to ignore the sound once more, relishing in the quiet that came once the call was shut off.

It had been almost four days since the ghost invasion and Phantom had yet to make another appearance. Not that he was really up to it anyways. He really didn't feel like talking with any of the other Leaguers, and he _especially_ didn't want to talk to Batman.

Even though neither would really want to admit it, Danny knew a lot about Batman know, and the man knew a lot about him. Meaning the kid _knew_ if he showed up around the Caped Crusader, the man would be able to wiggle the truth out of him, he just knew it.

It also didn't help that he desperately _longed_ to tell them the truth. It was beginning to eat away at him.

Yet . . . . . he knew he could. He _just_ couldn't. He couldn't risk it yet. Risk the chance of the Leaguers not accepting him. Of _Batman_ not accepting him. He couldn't even _begin_ to imagine what would play out if that happened. Would he even fight back? What would the point of fighting be anyways? It's not like he had much to live for anyway?

Quickly shaking those thoughts out of his head, Danny buried his head back into his pillow. One silver-lining that came from staying on the down-low for those four days was that he actually got to _sleep_ , which was a necessity that seemed more like privilege around Batman.

The teen sighed and flipped over onto his back, folding his arms underneath his head. He had ceased all contact with people throughout the week. He had even been avoiding Sam and Tucker, keeping the laptop closed and as far away from him as possible. He just really couldn't deal with talking to people right now. He just needed some time to think. And boy had he done a lot of it.

He thought about Batman and the League.

Were they wondering about him? Obviously, considering how often the communicator had been ringing. Heck, he had even received a visit from the Dark Knight himself, turning himself invisible when the man looked through the room. Were they mad? Likely, considering he left them standing there with no answers.

Was _Batman_ mad? The teen found himself reflecting on this question often. Was the Dark Knight mad at him? Well he sure seemed mad a few days ago, had anything changed? The only reason he was mad, though, was because the kid hadn't told him about his living conditions, as well as a few well-placed secrets.

He thought about the ghosts

He wondered what had sparked the recent ghost invasion, and whether something like that was bound to happen again. Well, Batman and the League had all of his tech. _Probably should have gotten that back._ He mumbled to himself.

He thought about Phantom.

He had never needed to use his ghost powers as much as he had these past few months. It was strange . . . . yet refreshing to have Phantom wanted. To _feel_ wanted as Phantom. Those pleasant thoughts were instantly marred, though, by the thoughts that arose whenever he thought about revealing himself.

Telling the truth would make things a lot easier. They would put an end to the secrets and get the suffocating weight of guilt off of the boy's shoulders. But . . . . . that's not all it might do. Revealing himself would undoubtedly reveal _them_ as well. And with that, Batman was sure to conduct some research. Who's to say he would be happy with what he would find? With all the lies, all the hate, all the mistrust that _they_ associated with him, who's to say the Leaguers wouldn't see his heroism as an act? Another evil trick conjured up by a mistrustful ghost?

Who's to say they would believe him?

No, it was just too big of a risk. Revealing his secret meant running the possibility that the Leaguers would become his enemies. That _Batman_ would become his enemy. After all, that was what was expected. According to _them_ , he was a criminal. And the Leaguers were heroes. According to history, those two categories weren't great at mixing. He couldn't do it. He just _couldn't_ do it. Exposing himself meant exposing . . . . . . . . . . the _GIW_.

Danny shuddered at the name. No, exposing the GIW meant exposing his past, his history. And he _wasn't_ about to let that happen.

The teen sighed and ripped the blankets off of him, finding he couldn't sit and stew with his thoughts any longer. He had to go out. He had to do something.

Glancing down, the teen slowly reached out, removing his pillow from the mattress, revealing the small communicator sitting silently on the comforter. He hesitated for a moment before reaching down, gently picking up the small device.

He ran his fingers over the cold metal, eyes staring intently at the small object in his hands, lost in thought. Maybe he _should_ go out tonight, if at least to go and check in with the others. He knew for a fact that a few of the Leaguers were still in Gotham, as told by the radio announcers. _Probably to look for anymore ghosts_. Danny realized.

He could just make a small fly-by. At least to show he was alright. Before he could properly debate the pro's and con's with himself, a loud rumbling filled the air. Glancing down, the teen placed a hand to his stomach, groaning in annoyance.

Oh yeah, staying cooped up in here meant no free food from Batman or the Leaguers.

Danny sighed and stood up, placing the communicator in his pocket as he made his way towards the window, quickly grabbing a jacket from his _Treasure_ _Pile._

* * *

Batman watched as Lantern and Superman flew over, landing in front of him while Flash quickly appeared in a red blur beside the others. "Nothing on the east side, Bats." Flash reported, turning towards the Caped Crusader.

"Same for us." Superman added.

Flash strode over and placed his arm around Batman's shoulder. "Yep! This place is 100% ghost-free!" He chirped before blinking in realization, quickly backing away from the man, hands held up in reassurance. "Um . . . well, not _100%_ ghost-free. I mean, I'm sure . . ." He started, only for Lantern to smack him upside the head.

Batman threw him a glare before turning away.

"Still no word on him?" Superman asked, placing a hand on the man's shoulder.

Batman stayed silent for a moment before moving away. "No. Nothing."

Phantom had been MIA for almost four days, and it was the longest the man had ever gone without seeing the annoying kid.

And much to the Dark Knight's frustration, he actually found himself worried for the teen. When he had left, it hadn't really been on the best of terms, the kid obviously scared about something. It was obvious in the way he seemed so angry when he left. Batman might not have known Phantom for as long as others, but he could tell a few things from the teen.

One especially important thing being that whenever the teen got nervous, upset or frightened, he hid it in one of two ways: sarcasm or anger.

He had never really seen the teen angry, which must have meant he was more nervous than usual. About what, though?

But Phantom wasn't the only one on Batman's mind.

The other was Danny.

It had been a good few months since the Dark Knight had even found a trace of the raven-haired teen, and yet the man felt as though he saw him every day. Of course, the Caped Crusader had his suspicions. He had held those suspicions ever since his first meeting with Phantom. I mean, come on! The two could practically be twins!

Yet he kept his mouth shut. After all, those suspicions could just be that. Suspicions. And even if they _were_ true, it wasn't his secret to tell. If Phantom wanted to tell him, then he would tell him. But until then, as long as it wasn't life threatening, Batman would continue to stay silent.

The man let out a small sigh and raised his head, staring out at the large city before him.

That didn't mean he wasn't allowed to worry.

* * *

Stepping out of the alley, Danny quickly blended into the crowd, which was much busier for Gotham at _night_. Then again, the teen recalled hearing about some big sale at some of the nearby strip malls, so, hooray for cheap people!

Weaving his was in and out of people, Danny scanned the crowds for any easy targets, eyes falling on a man not to far off.

He wore a thick coat around himself, arm outstretched as he stood on the curb, trying and failing multiple times to hail a cab. Danny snickered at the man's misfortune, which was ironically about to become _his_ fortune.

Slipping through the crowd once more, Danny weaved in and out until he was within arms reach of the man, who was now stomping his foot on his hat as he watched a cab stop and pick up the girl right next to him.

Quickly positioning himself, Danny swiftly walked forward, silently slipping his hand into the man's pocket, quickly pulling his hand back out, now holding a fresh new wallet. Yet before he could slip back into the crowd, he felt a hand lock onto his wrist, quickly yanking him backwards.

Danny glanced up, meeting the angered gaze of the man. Danny grumbled to himself internally. "Man I really have gotten rusty at this." He muttered to himself before kicking the man in the shin, causing him to scream out in pain.

Using the distraction to quickly jump back into the crowd, Danny began to run past the people, pushing and shoving them out of his way as he ran. He mentally cursed at the amount of people milling about, something he had momentarily been rejoicing at. This meant he couldn't transform. Too many people, too many witnesses, too many eyes.

 _Guess I'm doing this the old-fashioned way_. He muttered to himself as he continued to run.

Eyes suddenly falling on an approaching alley, the teen grinned, putting on another burst of speed. The harsh wind whipped past him, stinging his cheeks as he continued to run, but he didn't really care. If he was being honest, Danny actually felt himself missing this feeling from time to time.

The wind in your hair, the pounding of your heart, the blood pumping in your ears, the fast-paced chase that always ended up with his chasers confused and angry, and him a few hundred bucks richer. It was actually something he loved about his sucky life. Screwing with other people.

And ever since he had tied himself with Batman and Leaguers, he found his _Screw With Other People_ time dwindling into nothing. Now, caught in the moment once more, he realized how much he had missed the rush.

Quickly approaching the alley, the teen swiftly whipped around, pressing his back into the brick wall as he watched the man continue to run past him on the street, a smile adorning the kid's face as he watched him pass. Letting a small sigh of relief escape, the teen blinked open his eyes and turned to look down the alley he now occupied.

His heart stopped.

The alley was dark, save for the soft glow of hanging lights above. It stretched far down, a brick wall in the far back creating a dead end. But it was what sat parked in the middle of the alley that made Danny drop the wallet, all thoughts of money and food forgotten as he stared at the _white_ van.

The white van that was all too familiar.

He felt his breathing stop as the doors to the van slowly creak open, three men in white suits and dark black sunglasses stepping out, the dark glass coldly staring back at the teen in front of them.

Everything stopped, the people in the streets becoming frozen in place as Danny's eyes fell on the men in front of him. His heart stopped beating, his blood stopped flowing, his lungs stopped thumping. Everything _froze_.

He couldn't breath, he couldn't think, he couldn't move. All he could do was stare back at the figure in front of him, his mind beginning to go into overdrive. He could hear himself screaming in his mind to run, to get as far away as he possibly could. Yet, his body stayed rooted to the spot. He was _frozen._

His throat tightened as his mouth opened and closed like a fish, unsure of why he could no longer do anything. He wanted to scream. He wanted to cry. He wanted to run. He wanted to find Batman. Yet, all he could do was stare.

He watched, his blood freezing as he the men quickly ducked back into the car, reappearing with large blasters in their hands.

It was then that Danny's mind began to fire up once more, the sheer realization hitting him like a bucket of ice water. He gasped and whipped around, sprinting as fast as he possibly could, even faster than when the man was chasing him.

From behind, he could hear the sound of guns being fired into the air, people beginning to scream as they began to run, trying to distance themselves from the chaos. But Danny didn't care, all he could think about was running. That's all his mind would allow in. One foot, right after the other, keep going. Head down, left, right. Head down, left, right. Head down, left, right.

He kept repeating the words in his head, the mantra the only thing keeping him from having a mental breakdown as he ran, people beginning to push and shove past him as they ran in different directions.

A loud bang suddenly reverberated through the air, followed by the harsh _whiz_ of a bullet. A sharp pain suddenly exploded in Danny's side, causing a loud yelp to escape from his lips as he stumbled and crashed to the ground. Around him, people continued to run, know knowing who to run _from_ as they dispersed away from the teen, quickly taking to the streets. But Danny didn't care. All he could hear was the sound of his own screaming, fire beginning to course through his entire body.

He gasped for breath as he shut his eyes, curling up on the dirt-covered sidewalk, his hands shaking as they wrapped around his side. He felt the warm, sticky fluid begin to leak out over his hands, but it didn't matter. He wanted to the pain to stop. It had to stop. Why wasn't it stopping?

Normal bullets hurt like hell, but not like this. Nothing like this.

The bullet hadn't seemed to hit anything vital, from what the teen could tell, but it still made his skin bubble and burn. He grit his teeth, wondering if they would crack under the amount of pressure he was putting on them. Another scream escaped him as his body shook, arching his back up off of the pavement.

He could feel the blood beginning to squeeze through his fingers as he blinked open his eyes, watching as blurry shapes began to walk closer to him, only to shut them once more. The faded sounds of people screaming around him filled his ears, sounding as though they were being muffled, though he was surprised he could hear anything over his own agonizing screams.

The sound of footsteps made him crack open his eyes once again, white shapes moving closer. The sound of fierce yelling reached his ears before a harsh kick to the side made his eyes grow wide, a horrendous screech erupting from him as he cried out, hands digging into the ground around him.

Noticing the agents around him once more, Danny curled himself up tighter and reached out with his free hand, attempting to drag himself farther away from the men cloaked in white suits. Nevertheless, they were upon him in seconds, like wolves to freshly wounded prey.

He watched through blurry eyes as the agents lowered their guns, the sharp whine of their charge filling the air. Danny gasped and shut his eyes, expecting to feel searing heat, instead feeling a quick burst of wind slapping him in the face and the sound of guns going off in the distance.

Opening his eyes once more, the first thing he noticed was that he was no longer in the path of the guns. Instead, he was a safe distance away, watching as Superman and Green Lantern exchanged blows and blasts with the agents.

The second thing he noticed was the fact that his feet were no longer touching the floor. Drearily turning his head, he realized he was now in the arms of the Flash, the speedster stealing a glance at the fight across the street before turning back to Danny. "Hey kid, you okay?" He asked, concern evident in his voice as he crouched down and gently placed Danny on the pavement.

Said boy turned a heated glare towards the speedster. "Just super." He hissed out, turning his head away as he tried resisting letting out another scream of pain, the burning fire still thumping throughout his body. He groaned in pain as his hands scratched at the pavement around him. Flash stole one last glance at the fight across the street before turning back to the boy, taking notice of the blood that was now staining his suit, turning his bright red to almost black.

"Try not to move." The speedster said, unsure of how to handle the situation. Normally, this would be a job for-

"Batman!" Flash shouted in relief, watching the man stalk forward.

The Dark Knight froze upon seeing who it was they had saved, staring in shock for a moment. "Danny?" He asked, watching as the teen slowly turned his head to stare at him, pain filled eyes slowly morphing into confusion and . . . . fear?

Nevertheless, The Dark Knight swiftly moved forward, kneeling next to the shivering teen. Hand hovering over the wound, Batman quickly assessed the damage. Luckily, the bullet hadn't been a direct hit, but it was still embedded into the teen's side. Thankfully the offending piece of lead was shallow enough to remove manually, for Batman doubted Danny would be too open to a hospital visit.

The boy's face was pale and his eyes were scrunched in pain. His breathing was rushed and shallow, making Batman's movements all the more quick and purposeful. Reaching into his belt, he pulled out a pair of tweezers and a small plastic bag. He narrowed his eyes and turned to the teen, gently grabbing his shaking hand. "Danny, this is going to hurt, but I need to get that bullet out." He explained.

Danny gave a small nod of understand as he squeezed the man's hand, thankful for the comforting grip. Batman nodded in acknowledgement and lowered the tweezers. Danny's free hand curled into a fist as he screamed in pain. Flash bit his lip, knowing it wasn't wise to doubt the Dark Knight, yet still wondering whether it wasn't better to just take the teen to a hospital.

Nevertheless, Batman gently pulled out the bullet. But it wasn't just a regular bullet. No, it was bright green with a slight glow. Batman narrowed his eyes before placing the bullet into the small plastic bag, storing it back into his belt. Lowering his gaze, he stared at his hands, which were now stained with the teen's blood. The blood that was red . . . . . with small, almost unnoticeable green flecks.

As soon as the bullet was extracted, Danny gasped as his eyes widened, taking in a deep breath before his head lulled to the side. He hummed a soft thanks as he continued to gulp in air greedily.

Batman glanced back up as Superman and Lantern flew back over, looking no worse for wear. "They got away." GL growled out. "Had some sort of smoke device that covered the entire area. By the time Superman cleared it, they were gone." He explained before the two men took notice of the teen on the ground.

Danny continued to gulp in as much air as he could, not even caring if it burned his lungs or not. He was just grateful he was still able to take in any air at all. He shut his eyes and rested his head back onto the pavement, the reality of the situation finally beginning to dawn on him.

Superman turned to the Dark Knight. "Do you need me to fly him to a hospital?" He asked.

"No." Batman growled out, startling all three men. "I'm taking him back to the Batcave." He explained, crouching down next to the teen once more. "I'll explain more later." He said bluntly, pressing a button on his belt. The Batmobile quickly rounded a corner, stopping in front of the man. The other three Leaguers exchanged confused glances before voicing their acceptance. After all, Batman knew what he was doing . . . . right?

GL and Flash quickly zoomed off, Superman lingering for a moment before flying off as well.

Batman stared off at where the heroes had disappeared before turning back down to the teen in front of him. Gently lifting the boy into his arms, he carried him over to the Batmobile and strapped him in. Once inside himself, he closed the hatch above them, the engine roaring to life. As the car hummed, Batman took notice in the fact that Danny's hand was still tightly clutching his own, the teen immediately falling asleep upon entering the vehicle.

The Dark Knight said nothing, nor showed any intent on moving his hand as the Batmobile zoomed down the street, quickly disappearing into the night.

* * *

 **That was a lot loner than I first thought it'd be. Well the next few chapters are going to be just as exciting so get ready for that. Anyway, I'm loving these fast updates almost as much as you guys. Isn't Spring Break awesome?!**

 **Anyway, thanks to these people for favoriting and/or following the story: randomphandom, Owlgirl1209, Superloser59; Kirito10, Raalina**

 **Reviews:**

 **YouCanOnlyPretend: Sorry, I am known to tease people a lot. I don't mind, tell me all the stories you want! XD  
**

 **PeterPan0429: I know, I really hate cliffhangers (she said, while leaving off on one again) Yeah sorry but expect a few more cliffhangers in the next few chapters. I know they're pretty annoying, but they're really helpful when you run out of ideas and/or don't feel like writing anymore. It's like the writers equivalent to yelling _"I'm tired!"_**

 **Canary512: Yeah, I really wanted to show how Danny was getting along with all the other Leaguers, so I just decided to roll it all up into one big chapter and cut it up into different parts, each incorporating a different Leaguer**

 **jeanette9a: This is literally me whenever I read a fic. Just a large jumble and mishmash of different thoughts. I'm just amazed that you remembered all of them. Then again, it might just be me who forgets things almost immediately after thinking them**

 **randomphandom: yeah, I wanted to switch things up for him, so I decided to make him friends with a few of his ghostly enemies. Explanations to all of that will be coming in the next few chapters. Do not worry my fair readers!**


	13. Chapter 13: Full Disclosure?

**Chapter 13: Full Disclosure . . .?**

Placing the unconscious teen onto the examination table, Batman quickly called Alfred down to the cave. Walking over towards the med-bay, the man grabbed a few medical tools, including a roll of gauze, disinfectant spray and tweezers, just in case anymore gravel was still in the wound. Walking back over, the man began to carefully clean the blood away from the wound. But once he did, he caught clear sight of the injury and reeled back, eyes wide.

It was almost already healed.

The skin was beginning to grow back, the small traces of a scar quickly starting to show through. The man narrowed his eyes, his suspicions ever growing in the back of his mind as he continued to clean the wound.

"Late night, Master Bruce?"

The man hummed in confirmation as Alfred briskly walked over, the butler raising a brow at the unconscious form on the table. "I did not know we were having guests."

Batman said nothing as he quickly wrapped the injury and picked up the teen once more, moving him over to one of the nearby medical beds. Gently moving the covers over the boy's chest, the man turned away and lifted up his cowl, dropping it down behind his head.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "This kid's going to kill me, Alfred." The man moaned, walking over to the large computer, plopping down in the seat in front of it. Alfred glanced back at the teen before moving over towards the man.

"If he does not kill himself first." He answered, Bruce lowering his troubled gaze towards the ground. The butler silently moved back over to the table, grabbing the roll of gauze that was still atop the metallic surface, quickly putting it away. "Might I suggest some tea, Master Bruce?"

The man shook his head. "No thanks, Alfred. I still have work to do." He replied, pulling out the plastic bag from his belt, staring intently at the bullet encased inside. Alfred let out a small sigh, but nodded his head nonetheless. "Very well, sir. But do try and get some rest soon." He said before walking back up the stairs.

As the soft click of the butler's shoes faded, Bruce removed the bullet from the bag, inspecting the glowing green metal, flecked with spots of dried blood. Swiftly rising to his feet, the man walked over to the side of the computer, opening a large slot in the wall. Placing the bullet into the small opening, he closed it back up and waited.

Finally, the computer hummed to life, the contents of the bullet appearing on the screen. Most of it described the normal contents of a bullet: copper, lead, aluminum, etc. But . . . . . there was something else . . . . something strange. _Ectoranium._

Bruce furrowed his brow at that and placed a hand to his chin. _Ectoranium?_ What the hell was that?

He narrowed his eyes and turned to the computer once more. "Computer; search files: Ectoranium." He said to the machine, watching as the screen switched to show an enlarged image of a shining green rock, black veins intertwining throughout the surface.

 _"Ectoranium: a rare element found in deep space or far beneath Earth's surface. In its raw state, it will shock and momentarily paralyze any spectral entities who make direct contact. If refined, it can be incorporated into different metal weapons, which will add a level of effectiveness against any supernatural creatures who come into close contact with the material."_

Bruce stared up at the computer in confusion. _Ghosts?_ He turned his head to glance back at the teen lying silently in the medical bed across the room. A small sigh escaped him. He still tried to hold on to the notion that it might not be true, but the evidence was becoming overwhelming. So much so that it was becoming hard _not_ to believe it.

Still, he shook his head before turning back to the computer, knowing there was still more work to be done. Walking over, he ejected the bullet, and stared at it once more.

He stared back at the gleaming green metal, running his fingers over the smooth surface. Suddenly, his finger caught on a set of bumps written on the bottom of the object. Quickly flipping the piece of metal over, his eyes caught sight of three initials engraved into the metal.

 _G . . . .I . . . .W._

Bruce hummed in thought for a moment before setting the bullet down next to the computer, twisting around as his fingers began to fly over the keys. That bullet had to have been made somewhere. And something told him Ectoranium wasn't something one could buy at a local gas station.

So . . . . where had it come from?

Eyes becoming glued to the screen in front of him, Bruce began his hunt, beginning where the first sighting of Ectoranium had come up in the past ten years. That seemed to be enough time. Quickly finding a small trail, the man began to trace it until it stopped at a dead end.

But that did not deter him as he started again, following another trail once more.

After about four more dead-ends, the man finally found one more trail, one that was much harder to find than the others. New determination instilled into him, the billionaire continued to follow the trail until he was finally led to one particular building. One that made a large sigh build up in his chest, his hands curling into fists.

He should have known _they_ were involved in this somehow.

Quickly typing a set of commands into the computer, he heard it begin to dial the number. A few moments of silence passed before the person on the other line picked up.

"Waller here."

"I have some questions for you." The man said coldly, not even bothering with formalities.

A moment of silence passed over the other end before a response was picked up. "You've made me regret giving you this number more than once, Batman. Let's see if this is another one of those times." The woman sighed on the other end. "So . . . what are you here to _accuse_ me of this time?"

"Ten years ago, your facility received a classified shipment of disclosed objects. Ectoranium."

The line was silent for a moment longer before the woman replied. "What about it?" She growled out.

"What was it for?" Bruce asked sternly, eyes narrowed as he stared up at the screen in front of him.

"I don't have to tell you anything."

"Fine, then listen. A few hours ago, the League and I had to save a kid being chased by men in white suits carrying blasters and guns. One of them fired an Ectoranium bullet that hit him in the side. Upon further inspection, the bullet held just three initials. G...I...W. Now either you tell me what's going on, or I hold you accountable." The man snarled, hands curling around the computer chair, the metal beginning to creak underneath his angered grip.

Silence followed his angered shouts. A moment passed. Another.

Finally, a loud sigh was heard from the other end. "The GIW . . . . . I prayed I would never have to hear that name again." She murmured, almost sounding like she was talking to herself for a moment. She cleared her throat before continuing.

"Ten years ago, a new Cadmus branch was created, known as the Ghost Isolation and Elimination Ward. In the beginning, it was merely just a group of scientist, which is probably what sparked their nickname: The Guys In White, or GIW. They were always in white, even their tech, so much so that the name eventually stuck." She began.

"Their line of work dealt with ghosts and the supernatural. They were tasked with capturing and testing. Finding out what made ghosts what they were. Why they were still around, what made them tick. Eventually, that task morphed into experimentation and elimination. Their mission: capture and eradicate all ghosts."

"But . . . . . after a while, their methods became severe. They were hostile and aggressive, their work even more so. They showed no mercy, no compassion. Eventually they became cruel and malicious, seeking to torment and torture their specimens before killing them in the cruelest ways possible." She explained, Bruce growing more and more disgusted with what he heard from the other end.

"Finally, enough was enough. I had to put a stop to it. I fired the head of the organization and cut off their funding, eradicating that entire section of Cadmus. To this day, nobody is to speak of it, or of anything that went on in those labs." She sighed.

"Nothing was heard from them again, so I assumed they had moved on. There's no possible way they could be operational, though. With their technology, equipment and labs, they would need millions of dollars in funding. Without that, it would be impossible for them to continue. And I'm not aware of any billionaires looking to fund an organization like that . . . . . are you, _Batman_?" She asked, pointedly.

Bruce grunted, not voicing his answer, though his curiosity was now peaked as to who might be funding the new organization. He was pulled from his thoughts as Amanda continued.

"I'll send you whatever files we have left on them, but . . . . . I don't know what you saw, Batman. Maybe they are back, maybe they aren't. But if the GIW are operational once more, then . . . . . . " She hesitated for a moment before continuing. ". . . . . if they're after that boy, pray for him with all your might. Because I promise you, from my experiences . . . . . . he doesn't stand a chance."

With that, the call abruptly shut off, the screen turning black once more.

Bruce blinked up at the black surface before turning away, placing a hand to his face once more. He sighed and rested his head against the back of the chair as he tried to piece everything together. So the GIW was a rogue government organization tasked with the eradication of all ghosts. Ghosts like Phantom. Yet they still went after Danny.

The man opened his eyes, turning back towards the blank screen slowly. He had to know. He had to be certain.

Reaching forward, the man typed a few commands into his computer, the newly received files popping up onto his computer. Quickly digging around a few, he noticed pictures of different ghosts, along with their case files. He even caught a glimpse of a few ghosts seen last week, including Ember and Youngblood.

It was then his eyes fell on one particular file. The held two pictures. The first was of a small seven-year old child with raven-black hair and bright blue eyes. The second was of a child around the same age, only he held liquid green eyes and stark white hair. Below the first picture was the name: Daniel Fenton

Bruce narrowed his eyes upon inspection of the photos. There was no denying it now.

Danny and Phantom were one in the same.

He let out a small sigh before turning his gaze back towards the file, which seemed to be around seven years out of date.

 _Subject: 1253; alias: Phantom_

 _Age: 7_

 _Height: 45 inches_

 _Weight: 46 pounds_

 _Description: Mutated into half-ghost form after explosive lab accident at age five. The accident left subject with extreme supernatural abilities, including: flight, invisibility, intangibility, ecto-blasts, frost-blasts, possession, enhanced hearing, enhanced physical strength, accelerated healing, etc._

 _Note: Subject is volatile and extremely dangerous. Use caution at all times and do not approach unless heavily armed._

 _Charges:_

 _-destruction of property_

 _-aggravated assault_

 _-resisting arrest_

 _-murder of Madeline and Jasmine Fenton_

The man froze at the last charge listed above. Danny . . . . . a murderer?

No. No way. Something wasn't right here. Something didn't add up. Sure, the teen was definitely messed up in more than one way, but he was _far_ from a murderer. Nothing about the teen's personality suggested anything like that. Bruce narrowed his eyes and dug further into the files.

Finally, after a moment of searching, he came up with his answer. Madeline and Jasmine Fenton, who he could only assume were Danny's mother and sister, had been killed in a lab accident. Bruce could only assume it was the same accident that gave Danny his powers, but what about that explosion led to them charging Danny as a murderer?

Bruce furrowed his brow as he dug through a few more files, noting the very last file included. It was marked from six years ago, which meant Danny would have been around a year older. It described a few of the conditions of the GIW's disbanding. It also stated some of the ghosts were riling themselves up. The final entry stated a few of the ghosts attempting escape through all the chaos of movement before abruptly cutting off.

Bruce stared at the files for a moment longer before shutting off the computer, turning away from it altogether as he rotated his chair. He placed his elbow on the arm of his chair and rested his head in his palm. _So . . . . Danny was taken by the GIW when he was seven . . . . and he was there for at least a year . . ._ The man thought to himself, trying to fit it all together. _And somewhere along the way, he managed to escape . . . . . but what led up to all of this?_ He wondered.

He glanced up at the sleeping teen across the room.

Nothing could have prepared the billionaire for this. It was just so . . . . impossible. The teen he had grown to know over the past few months would never be capable of the things described in those files. What had happened to him?

He thought back to the small " _apartment_ " the teen resided in. Of course he had been mad at Phantom when he had first discovered it. It was horrible! There was no way any person, let alone a child should be living in those conditions, dead or alive.

Why hadn't the teen told him? Why hadn't he allowed him to help?

Maybe . . . . . . maybe it was because of this.

Maybe the teen had been afraid of this the entire time. Maybe this was why he was so skittish around everybody. Maybe this was why he had grown so close to the Dark Knight. Maybe this was why he never revealed anything too personal about himself when asked.

He was scared of _this_.

Bruce furrowed his brow as he stared hard at the floor, trying to remember everything he had taken when he had first met the teen . . . . . _both_ teens.

When he had first met Danny, the kid was very reluctant to share anything. In fact, he seemed scared of the Dark Knight. Though that wasn't surprising. Most people were already afraid of him. Now add in a criminal record, and it was enough to have most people curling up into the fetal position.

Yet, after awhile, the boy finally began to calm down around him. He actually began to seek out the man, seek his company. Maybe it was just a rouse. Maybe it was a trick . . . . . or maybe the teen just wanted someone to talk to after years of being alone.

Now Phantom . . . . Phantom was a _totally_ different story.

At first meeting, the ghost seemed . . . . care-free. He was eager to help, even if it meant putting himself in harm's way. He wanted to get close to the Dark Knight, and Bruce had to begrudgingly agree . . . the teen had been successful. He had even gone as far as to getting on good terms with the members of the League.

The question was why.

With such a weight hanging on his shoulders, why would the teen risk getting close to the heroes? What was there to gain? He had to have known the risk that came from it . . . didn't he? So what had he hoped to achieve?

It was there the man paused.

 _Maybe it was us. Maybe he wanted to get . . . . us. He wanted us to get on his side._ The man thought to himself. It made sense. That would explain why the teen was so eager to help. He wanted Batman to trust him. He wanted the League to trust him. So that when the time came, they would side with him . . . . and not the GIW.

Bruce narrowed his eyes. _So was it all a trick? A lie? A ruse?_

The thoughts made sense in his mind, but something told the man that couldn't be it. It just couldn't. No . . . the way Phantom joked around, the way he seemed so easy-going around them, the way he fought alongside them, the way he . . . . looked at the Dark Knight. No, that couldn't be fake . . . . . . that was _real_.

The way they fought together seamlessly . . . . that was real.

The way they could communicate perfectly without even needing words . . . . that was real.

The way Phantom's eyes still held a small glimmer of hope . . . . that was real.

And that boy across the room, silently begging for help, even though he thought he was unlikely to receive it . . . . . . . . _that was all too real._

Bruce knew it instantly. Danny needed his help.

But files could only tell him so much. He needed the boy to explain. He needed him to talk, and he needed him to do it quickly.

The man sighed. Something told him it was _not_ going to be easy.

* * *

The first thing Danny noticed that signified something was wrong was that he wasn't cold. It had become a pretty mundane feeling to wake up to a burst of cold wind every morning when the outside breeze drifted through his small escape window. It acted almost like an alarm clock.

The second thing that sent alarms ringing through his mind was that there was a blanket around him, and a soft bed beneath him.

Quickly bolting upright, the teen ignored the small twinge of pain that shot through his side in favor of staring at his surroundings.

"Shit cakes . . . . ." The teen muttered to himself as he slowly realized he was in the Batcave. The soft sound of fluttering wings drifted to his ears as he glanced up, watching the small bats fly to different perches before curling up once more, melting into the surrounding shadows.

The Batmobile sat in the corner of the cave, shining brightly against the light that seeped out of the large computer next to it.

Upon further inspection, Danny slowly realized he was alone in the cave. Well, at least there was some good news. As the teen carefully lifted the blankets off of himself, he swung his legs out and placed his bare feet onto the cold cave floor, small shivers running up his spine before disappearing once more.

After a few swaying motions, the teen was on his feet, slowly casting one last glance around the cave before taking a step forward, and another, and another.

As the teen gazed around the large cave, he froze suddenly as the realization of what happened rammed into him like a freight train.

 _Shit, shit, shit!_ He screamed mentally. The GIW were here! They knew he was here. They knew he was in Gotham. The teen slowly grabbed his arm, gently running his thumb against his forearm comfortingly, the jacket around him wrinkling as his thumb moved over the fabric.

They had never gotten this close before. In six years of running, they had never come so close to catching him. But . . . . . but now they had! What was to stop them from catching him next time? He froze at that. _Next time._ For some strange reason, the possibility of a next time seemed distant . . . . almost impossible, like a child trying to convince themselves the Tooth Fairy, or Santa Claus was really, yet deep down, they knew they weren't.

It was then the teen remembered his plan. Remembered . . . . . _Batman!_ He gasped, his breath hitching as he remembered what had happened. Batman had saved him. Batman had been there. Batman had _seen everything!_

What did he think? What had he figured out? Did he know? Had this just ruined _everything_ the teen had been working for?!

Danny tried calming himself down as he slowly began to back away from the computer, from the Batmobile, from all of it, from everything . . . . . at least until he ran into something, eyes going wide in realization. "Piss Waffles . . . ."He whispered to himself before quickly whipping around, coming face to face with Batman, the man staring down at him with an emotionless face.

The teen let a nervous smile form on his face. "H-hey, Bats. Uhh . . . long time no see."

The man said nothing for a moment, Danny casting a nervous glance behind him before returning it to the Dark Knight, who was now moving over towards the computer. "How are you feeling?" He asked, never turning his head as he continued to walk.

Danny hesitated for a moment before shrugging his shoulders. "I'm fine. I heal fast." He smirked.

Batman nodded softly. "Yes, I assume you do." Danny tilted his head at the comment, feeling a small twinge of fear beginning to eat at him once more. Nevertheless, he watched silently as Batman stopped in front of the computer, picking up a small object before turning back to Danny. In his hands he held a small green bullet.

Danny felt his stomach drop as his eyes locked onto the object, yet still knowing enough to keep the relaxed look on his face.

"Do you know what this is?" Batman asked, holding the bullet out for the kid to see.

Before Danny could explain, Batman had turned away again, placing the bullet back onto the computer desk. "It's an ectoranium bullet, designed to wound and harm supernatural entities, specifically ghosts." The man explained, turning back towards him. "Do you understand, Danny . . . . or do you prefer Phantom?"

Danny's heart stopped beating, his hands beginning to shake behind his back. Yet his smirk never wavered at he scoffed. "Phantom? Is that your new nickname for me now, Bats?" He asked.

Now, to anybody else, the comment would just strike as Danny being . . . well _Danny_. But it didn't fool Batman. Not for a second. The man narrowed his eyes and took a step forward, causing Danny to reflexively take one backwards. "Drop the act, Danny. I know you're Phantom."

That was all it took for the teen's facade to shatter. His smirk instantly disappeared as he took another step back. "I-I . . .I-"

"And I know about the GIW. I read your file." Batman stated, taking another step forward.

Instantly, Danny realized where this conversation was headed. In that moment, he stopped thinking and _finally_ stopped acting. The overwhelming sea of panic and fear bubbling inside him boiled over to anger, and it wanted out. It had been wanting out for _six long years._

The teen's startled face instantly morphed into one of anger and scorn as he turned back towards the Dark Knight, who instantly noticed the shift in mood, cursing silently as he caught sight of the approaching storm clouds.

"Oh, you read the files? Well, then I guess you must know _everything_ now, huh?" The boy snapped, glaring heatedly at the man, instantly growing defensive.

Batman narrowed his eyes and moved closer. "Files can only tell me so much, Danny. I need an explanation. An explanation _you_ need to provide." He growled out, his earlier thoughts on remaining calm quickly going out the window as the teen's defiance quickly began to test him.

Danny rolled his eyes. "Please! In my experiences, when given the choice of my own explanations or the governments, people are more likely to choose the _government's_ word over mine!" He snarled back, quickly whipping around, only for the Dark Knight to wrap a firm hand around his wrist.

"Let me go." The teen growled, only for Batman to yank him back.

"Where do you think you're going?!"

"Why the _hell_ do you care?!" Danny shouted back, hands beginning to shake as he tried to pull away from the man, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts, too much noise sounding in his head to think about turning intangible.

"Danny, I want to help you, but I can't do that unless you start talking to me!" Batman snapped, placing his hands on the teen's shoulders.

Danny quickly wrenched himself away from the man's grip. "No! I-I can't! Because the second I _start_ talking is the second you _stop_ wanting to help me!" He screamed back, eyes flickering in fear before filling with rage once more.

The teen felt his mind racing at a million miles per hour. He wanted to tell him. I _needed_ to tell him. It was _killing_ him. But . . . . . he just _couldn't_ do it. He couldn't force the words out of his mouth. That risk that still lingered in the back of his mind paralyzed him in unadulterated fear. He couldn't . . . . he couldn't. His defenses were up, and they weren't coming down anytime soon, whether he wanted them to or not. They were up . . . and they were staying up.

He glared back at the Dark Knight. "I'm not telling you anything." He growled out.

Later in the night, Batman would wonder to himself why the teen was acting like this, why he was being so defiant when all the man wanted to do was help, but right now, Batman was extremely ticked off. And it was finally beginning to show through.

As the teen turned away once more, the Dark Knight reached out and grabbed his wrist once more, dragging him back. He watched as the teen scrambled in his grip again, fighting to get away, but Batman held fast. He wasn't letting the kid get away. Not this time. No. He needed answers and he needed them now.

Every second they waited. Every moment they wasted was another moment those agents were on the street, threatening lives, putting people in danger. And right now, the only thing Batman could see standing in the way was a defiant fourteen-year old brat.

"Danny, tell me _now._ The man basically growled, throwing the darkest glare he could muster at the teen, one that was certainly worthy of the title: Bat-Glare.

Only Danny did not crumble like so many others before him. No, he met the glare head-on, matching it with one of his own. There they stood, silently fuming at the other as the two locked wills, battling in an internal struggle for dominance. One that neither was willing to lose.

"Damn it, Danny! Tell me now before someone gets hurt because of your stupidity!" The Dark Knight snarled, watching as Danny blinked in shock.

The kid stopped fighting Batman's hold on him for a moment of shock, his heart aching painfully in his chest before the hurt quickly melted into rage. "Oh, I get it now! This was never about me, was it? NO! I don't matter! You don't care what happens to me! All you care about is your precious little city! The teen snarled, making it Batman's turn to blink in shock.

"Well _fuck you!_ I don't have to tell you _shit!"_ He snarled, turning away once more, only for Batman to latch onto his wrist and drag him back again.

"I said LET ME GO!" Danny screamed, ramming his fist into the Dark Knight's cheek, sending him reeling backwards, dropping the teen in shock.

Quickly whipping his gaze back up, Batman watched as Danny reflexively transformed into Phantom, hands glowing as he fired a barrage of green blasts at the man, who quickly rolled out of the way. Reaching into his belt, the man grabbed a bat-a-rang and hurled it at the teen, watching as it sliced across his cheek, causing a loud yelp of pain to escape the boy.

Glaring back up, green eyes full of hatred, Phantom flew at the man, ramming into his chest, the two tumbling on the ground. Years and years of pent up rage and anger quickly sparked and ignited in Danny's heart, and he couldn't put out the flames. They just kept getting bigger and bigger with every passing moment.

He had to stop. He couldn't stop. He _wouldn't_ stop.

Ramming his glowing fist into Batman's face, the teen quickly pinned the dazed man to the ground, placing one hand on his collarbone while raising the other into the air, glowing green energy crackling in his palm as he readied himself to strike.

Yet, glancing down, he noticed Batman staring up at him with an expressionless face, a small trickle of blood dripping out of the corner of his mouth. "Is this what you really want, Danny. Is it?!" He asked, gazing into Phantom's eyes, watching as the glowing green pools of anger slowly melted back into blue, filling with regret instantly.

The ecto-blast in the teen's hand slowly fizzled out as he began to shake. "N-no . . ." The teen whispered as he stumbled off the man in front of him.

As Batman slowly rose to his feet, Danny instantly leapt backwards, arms wrapping around himself defensively. "I-I'm . . . .I'm sorry . . . ." He stuttered, gazing at the man in fear before lowering his gaze to the floor, tears beginning to form in the corner of his eyes. "I'm sorry . . . . . but I-I can't tell you. I . . . . I can't run that risk." He almost whispered.

"Risk of what?" Batman asked, wiping the blood away with the back of his sleeve.

Danny hesitated for a moment, mouth opening and closing slowly before he sighed. "The risk of the League . . . of _you_ . . . . . . turning away from me."

Batman stepped forward, opening his mouth, only for Danny to glare at him. "No! Don't say _that would never happen_ , alright? Because it _always_ happens. Always!" He snarled. "Just when I think I've found the right ones . . . ."

He took another step backwards before continuing. "This has happened before, believe it or not. Time after time. City after city. Meet new people, make new friends. Yet . . . . . every time the GIW rolls into the picture . . . . everything turns to shit." He muttered.

Danny raised his head, gazing back at the Dark Knight with pain-filled eyes, even more pain than when the bullet had pierced him. "No, I've seen it before. I work my way in. Get close . . . . . . sometimes _too_ close." He sighed, throwing the man another look. "Yet I still think . . . I still think they might be able to help. Maybe . . . just maybe . . . . this is the one." He said with a small smile, the light instantly flickering out once more. "But it always happens." He sighed.

"As soon as they figure out who I am . . . what I am . . . who I'm running from . . . . . . " He trailed off.

Batman took another step forward. "But Danny-" He started, only for the teen to leap backwards once more.

"No, Batman! I-I can't _take it anymore!"_ The teen screamed, hot tears beginning to stream down his face. "I-I can't bear to see the people I care about turn on me again. I- I can't . . . . ."

He trailed off before staring at the man once more, tears splattering onto the cave floor. "I can't fight anymore friends." He cried softly before floating into the air. He turned one more glance at the man in front of him. "I'm sorry." He whispered quietly before turning intangible, quickly flying out of the cave, ignoring Batman's calls.

The frigid wind flew around him, whipping his hair across his face, hot tears flowing down his face. It was over. Everything had fallen to pieces, just as he should have suspected. So . . .why hadn't he? The teen didn't bother in answering. He just flew. He didn't know where. He didn't care. He didn't really care about anything anymore. Just like that, he was _done._

* * *

 **I know! Another cliffhanger . . . please don't kill me. OH! BTW, tomorrow my mom and I are going to be painting my room and my sister's so that will probably take up most of the day. So if you don't see a chapter out, son't freak. And if you do see a chapter come out . . . . . yay me!**

 **Anyway, thanks to these people for favoriting and/or following the story: _Superloser59, DaniePhantom, Frozenjaqulinefrost, SpiritAni, TheGirlOfCrazyLand, meme991001; Snowthewhitewolf, Stevonnieandpercabeth_**

 **Reviews:**

 **XoraNo.13: Backstory granted! (P.S. full story coming soon)**

 **Meyumi: Yeah, I;m really sorry to leave off on another one, but . . . . oh well. What're ya' going to do?**

 **reader238: Dang, don't worry my internet kind of sucks too.**

 **Stevinneiandpercabeth: ASHETOIHEKVNLKHSDIFUHLKMWEOUIHOIOQWW (no idea what you're trying to communicate, btw)**

 **jeantte9a: I'm pretty sure the Leaguers think Batmans pretty crazy already, but most of teh time he's right, so what can you really do about that? Sometimes you need a little bit of craziness to make sense.**

 **YouCanOnlyPretend: Nope. Just plain America. I actually posted this at one am, soooo... XD**

 **Marisandini: Yeah I've noticed most of the fics in this section are pretty slim pickins. Yeah . . . . I kind of wrote that too ;D Thank you, it's always nice to see that people have read some of my other works as well. I have a sequel to that story in case you didn't know (or . . .you know . . . you might know already and hate it so . . . .OH WELL XD)**

 **DPTTrocks: yeah, I do that with a few fics too**


	14. Chapter 14: Broken Masks

**Chapter 14: Broken Masks**

The steady thumping of rain splattering on the roof was the sound Batman listened to for hours as he swung through the air, leaping from building to building, the thick wet drops sliding down his face. But he didn't care. It could be raining hail the size of boulders, and he still wouldn't care.

He would continue to search.

It had been more than a week since Danny had disappeared, and chances were the teen wasn't even _in_ Gotham anymore. But the slim chance that he still _was_ in the city is what drove Batman to do exactly what he was doing now. Swing across the city at 12:37 a.m. in freezing cold rain.

Across the neighboring cities, the other Leaguers searched as well. J'onn was with Superman in Metropolis, Diana was searching Central City with Flash, and Hawkgirl and GL were in Star City. So far, none of them had been able to come up with anything as to where the teen might be.

Batman felt the sting of the rain hitting his cheeks as the sheets of water poured down harder, firing his grappling hook once more as he flew through the air. That particular conversation with the League, explaining everything, had _not_ been a pleasant one, especially considering he couldn't answer most of their questions anyway. They were all angry and frustrated and . . . . worried, nobody more so than Batman.

The man knew the teen was in great danger now that the GIW knew of his location. Batman was actually greatly surprised that Gotham had not been overrun by a sea of white yet, though he doubted anything like that would come in the future. The GIW were a part of Cadmus, an organization that very rarely showed their faces publicly. Batman knew if the GIW could avoid it, they would not reveal themselves.

But Batman knew better than anyone that the enemy unseen was sometimes the most deadly. Which meant the longer Danny was MIA, the greater chance he had of being captured . . . or worse.

The Dark Knight quickly shook the troubling thoughts from his head as his destination came into view. Placing on another burst of speed as he ran across the roof, he leapt into the air once more, firing his grapple towards the building, quickly swinging down in front.

The run-down apartment seemed even more lifeless than the last time he had seen it, which now that he thought about it, hadn't been too long ago. Slowly walking over to the broken front door, the man pushed it open, the wood creaking softly.

Slowly stepping into the dark building, the man found himself amazed once more at how long Danny had been able to keep this place a secret from him. Nevertheless, he continued his path towards the basement door, slowly descending the broken stairs, sidestepping the holes and creaking wooden planks.

Finally making his way towards the bottom door, the Dark Knight slowly pushed it open, the harsh blast of cold wind slapping him in the face as it had done before. Scanning the room quickly, the man felt all building hope slowly crumble away once more.

The bare mattress in the corner of the room looked as if it hadn't been touched for days. The laptop and other electronics that had blared lively music and sound now sat silently atop the wooden surface, the small window in the top corner of the room swinging open in the breeze, a small puddle pooling underneath the opening as the rainwater slowly dripped inside.

The room had been abandoned.

The Dark Knight hadn't really been expecting any different, though. He had checked the apartment more than once over the week and he was always greeted to the same disappointing sight. Danny was definitely _not_ coming back here.

The man sighed and walked deeper in the room, something he had neglected to do the other times he had visited. Scanning the scattered objects on the ground, his eyes fell upon something shining on the floor. Crouching down, he lifted the small object into his hand.

It was a communicator, the exact same one he had given Phantom months ago.

The man gazed at the small object, running his fingers gently over the smooth metal before placing the object into his belt, standing once more. As he began to climb the stairs again, his mind drifted back to the last time he had seen the boy.

Safe to say, they hadn't exactly left off on good terms. Danny had shown shocking amounts of anger and rage, feelings he had never seen in the teen before. After having plenty of time to go over the fight in his head, Batman now knew exactly why the teen had acted as he had.

He was terrified.

He should have seen it before. He should have stopped the fight immediately But instead, he had fed the fire, adding to the boy's anger. He should have realized what Danny had been doing. He had been _defending_ himself. Not just verbally, the teen was literally barricading himself in his words, protecting himself in his anger.

He should have noticed how scared the boy was. He should have _stopped_ him. He should have _helped_ him.

As Batman stepped outside once more, the sharp slap of the rain hitting his face instantly reminded him of the added dangers around the missing boy. _Knowing that idiot, he's probably out in this rain_. The Dark Knight thought to himself. With this rain, in freezing temperatures like this, the teen also ran the high risk of hypothermia if not properly dressed, which Danny never was.

But before the man could think about where to search next, a dull light in the sky made him glance up. In the distance, the shining symbol of the Bat-Signal glistened against the clouds, calling out for him. The man let out a small sigh, but fired his grappling hook onto the roof anyways.

Just because Batman was busy didn't mean the rest of Gotham wasn't. Like it or not, the Dark Knight still had a job to do.

Quickly swinging towards the bright light in the sky, Batman quickly tried to clear his mind of the troubling thoughts. Fighting crime with a muddled mind was dangerous enough, but doing it in Gotham was basically a death wish.

It didn't take long for him to reach the GCPD building, fully prepared to question Gordon on what kind of emergency he was now being tasked with. But as he landed silently on the roof, his eyes fell on a sight that made him to a double take and sigh under his breath. He _so_ did not have time for this.

"How long do we have to stay out here? I can't feel my nose anymore!"

"As long as it takes for him to show up."

"Well he better move his ass before mine freezes off!"

Next to the Bat-Signal were two teenagers, looking to be around fourteen years old. One was a girl with short black hair that was now falling into her amethyst eyes as the rain poured down, and the other was a dark-skinned boy with thick glasses. Both seemed to be cold and pretty pissed, the girl even more so as the boy continued to talk.

"Quit complaining, Tucker." She growled out, glaring at the teen next to her.

The boy, apparently known as Tucker folded his arms over his chest. "I still think my idea was better, Sam." He muttered under his breath.

"Your idea was to go rob a bank!"

"It'd get his attention, wouldn't it?!"

"Yeah, along with every other cop in Gotham!"

"Please! The cops in this city are _so_ incompetent I'm actually surprised they haven't already quit and made Batman their official chief and mascot!"

Sam growled and rubbed the bridge of her nose in annoyance as Tucker continued. "And what makes you think he's going to come anyways?"

"Since when has Batman ever ignored the Bat-Signal?!"

"I don't know! I don't _know_ the guy! Which, in fact, is another reason I think this plan is total shit!" He shouted. "We're technically criminals, Sam. We've been harboring a fugitive. And right now, we're literally contacting a superhero! Last time I checked, heroes and criminals aren't usually the type to have sleepovers and braid each others hair!"

"We need _somebody's_ help, Tucker. And I don't think the police are really going to give it to us, especially considering how _"_ _incompetent_ " they are!" The girl snarled.

"But we are _so_ going to jai-"

"Listen, Tucker. I can't hear another minute of your incessant babbling. So either you shut the _fuck_ up, or I'm going to rip off your arm and beat you to death with it!" She snarled, eyes almost glowing in anger as the light seeping out from the Bat-Signal draped over the pair.

Tucker huffed before turning away as well, wrapping his arms around his wet shivering form.

" . . . . . . . . . . . . still a stupid fucking plan . . . ."

"THAT'S IT! COME HERE, YOU SON OF A-"

Batman fought off the urge to facepalm as he watched the two teens begin to wrestle around on the wet roof, grunting and kicking as one tried to overcome the other. Finally, after a few minutes of watching the skinny girl beat the boy's ass into the ground, the Dark Knight decided to put a stop to it.

Stepping out of the shadows, he watched the two teens freeze mid-fight, Tucker's hand still clutching a fistful of Sam's hair while she held him in a chokehold. For a moment of silence, the three just stared back at each other before the kids broke away from each other, scrambling up to their feet, never taking their eyes off of the Dark Knight.

"Care to explain?" Batman stated sternly, glancing back at the glowing Bat-Signal still shining up towards the dark clouds overhead.

Tucker cleared his throat before staring up at the man. "Well you see, umm . . this is actually a funny story, see we kind of . . . we were trying to . . . "

Sam sighed before pushing the boy away. "We need you help." She stated quickly. "It's about Danny."

Batman instantly snapped into focus, turning a hard stare onto the kids. "What about him?" He growled out.

Sam hesitated for a moment, biting her lower lip as she stared at the ground before growling. "Danny's so going to kill us for this . . . ." She muttered to herself before turning back up to the Dark Knight. "We need you to find him." She finally stated.

Batman let a small sigh slip as he gazed back down at the teens. "I've tried. But it's proving to be more difficult than I imagined."

Tucker shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, we figured as much. Danny's basically an expert in disappearing . . . ." He sighed.

Sam nodded slowly before turning back towards Batman. "The last we heard of him was around a couple days ago. He said something had happened. The GIW." She turned a pointed glare at the Dark Knight. "Said something had happened with _you_."

Batman narrowed his eyes, refusing to show the guilt he felt inside on his face as he stared at the teens. "Has he contacted you?" He asked, not really expecting for them to say yes. From all he could tell, the only connections Danny made with them was via his laptop, which was still back at his apartment.

Nevertheless, the look shared between the two teens instantly corrected him. He quickly took a step forward. "What is it?"

Sam furrowed her brow and lowered her gaze for a moment. Finally, she dug into her pocket and pulled out a small black object that resembled a Bluetooth earpiece. She hesitated for a moment before handing the man the device.

"Danny made those around a year ago. Emergency communicators, just in case . . . . . something like this happened." Tucker said softly, placing his hands into his damp pockets.

Sam turned back up to the man. "He dropped these off at our place a few days ago. We've tried talking to him. Tried to get him to tell us his location . . . . but he refused. He won't let us get involved, says it's too dangerous . . . . ." The girl trailed off. "I . . . . I've never seen him look so . . . bad."

She turned back up to the Dark Knight, her eyes now filled with desperation. "Please, you have to do something. Use that to track his location or something. He . . . he doesn't have a lot of time left."

Batman stared at the device in his hands for a moment before looking up once more. "This tech is impressive, but it's still homemade. Maybe I'll get lucky, but I don't know if I'll be able to get a strong enough signal to pinpoint his location-" He started, only to stop as Sam looked up once more, eyes now steely with determination and anger, a quick switch from what it had been moments ago.

"Well you better fucking do something. Danny was fine before you came along, before he started going along with that fucking _plan_ of his. I should have stopped it. I should have stopped _him._ But how could I _?_ H-he was so . . . . happy. Happier than I had ever seen him before."

She sighed loudly, running a hand through her soaking hair. "I don't know how you did it. I really don't. You managed to fix him . . . . _and_ break him." Her eyes filled with anger as she took a step forward, pointing an accusing finger into the man's chest. "This is _your_ fault, so you damn well better fix it!" She growled out before her gaze faltered, wrapping her arm around herself as she stared down at the ground, Tucker gently placing a hand on her shoulder. He gazed up at the man in front of him, teal eyes desperate.

"Please, he's our best friend."

The Dark Knight hesitated for a moment before placing the communicator into his belt, kneeling down in front of the teens. Placing his hands on their shoulders, he watched as they slowly glanced back up to meet his gaze. "I'll do whatever I can to help him. I promise."

They stared back at him for a moment before nodding solemnly. Batman turned away and walked back over to the edge of the roof, casting one more glance behind him before firing his grappling hook/ Before he could leap from the building, he heard one last shout h=behind him.

"Wait!" Tucker called, the Dark Knight turning back once more. The teen hesitated for a moment, scuffling his foot on the ground before looking up. "Y-you're not going to . . . . arrest us?" He asked incredulously, Sam quickly smacking him upside the head. "Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to!" She whispered furiously, Tucker casting her an annoyed glare.

The man stared back at the anxious teens for a moment before shrugging his shoulders. "Right now, I have bigger fish to fry." He said before swinging away from the building. As he flew through the air, the lone thought filtered into his mind, Telling him he probably wouldn't have arrested the kids anyways, had the situation not been so dire.

Sam and Tucker stood silently for a moment, shoulder to shoulder as they watched the man disappear, small droplets of water falling down their faces as the rain continued to hiss around them. Sam sighed as she gestured towards the fire escape on the other side of the roof.

"Stupid plan, my ass." She muttered, grabbing the top of the rusted ladder.

Tucker rolled his eyes before shoving her shoulder. The girl responded by elbowing the boy in the gut, sending him crumpling to the ground, loudly cursing her name, which only earned him the sound of victorious laughter.

* * *

The device in his hands gleamed with a blue tint as the light from the Batmobile's many computers and screens bounced off of it. Quickly plugging the device into the screen in front of him, Batman watched as the computer quickly tried to process it.

The Dark Knight had to admit. Danny was pretty skilled. The electrical wiring and circuitry of the device were sophisticated, more so than most homemade tech. Yet, tracing the signal was still not going to be an easy process.

Nevertheless, the man got to work right away, syncing the device up to the Batmobile's main computer. After a moment of processing, the faint traces of a weak signal could be spotted as a large map of the city was quickly brought up onto the screen.

The blinking dot quickly flashing across the map as the signal bounced off of different towers similarly to how phone signals jammed their trackers. Suddenly, the dot stopped moving, pinpointing a small generalized area.

It was a start.

Quickly starting up the car, Batman sped through the streets, making his way towards the pinpointed area. As he made his way closer and closer, he noticed the dot shrink down and map out a smaller area, getting smaller and smaller as the man got closer and closer.

Finally, the tracker stopped moving, the dot freezing on one particularly black part of the map. As Batman turned towards the map to see where he was headed, he almost did a double take before letting out a sigh.

He shouldn't have been too surprised. It certainly matched Danny's MO. Whenever he was scared or uncomfortable, he went somewhere familiar. Somewhere safe. Somewhere that made him feel secure.

He was where it all began

* * *

The salty smell of the dirty waters nearby hit Batman full force as he exited the Batmobile. Narrowing his eyes, he scanned the area for any signs of hostile activity. " _They're not here, yet."_

Turning his head, the man watched as Superman slowly flew over. The other Leaguers had been quick to arrive by Javelin as soon as Batman announced he had a fix on Danny's location, though they were given strict orders not to engage the boy or try and contact him in any way.

The shipyard was still under construction from the _activities_ that had partaken there a few months back, many of the containment pods now gone, save for a few of the ones that had not been damaged. Quickly walking farther into the yard, Batman took notice of the others clustered around the Javelin, each with looks of worry and concern written on their faces, none of them taking much notice in the rain pouring down around them.

Behind them stood a small warehouse once used to store small machinery and crates housed in the yard. Now, it was broken and decrepit, most of the roof now burned away and broken, large holes crumbling in the walls and ceiling, allowing the harsh winds and rain from outside to blow in.

Upon notice of the Dark Knight approaching, the others quickly made their way over.

"I did a sweep of the area. No sign of any agents yet, but we'll stay on guard." Flash said quickly, no humor showing on his face for once, a rare sight for the speedster.

"Do you want us to come with you?" Diana asked, strands of black hair falling into her face as thick drops of water slid down her cheeks and chin.

Batman quickly shook his head. "No . . . no, I'm doing this alone." He said softly before turning to the others. "Stay out here and watch for any signs of danger. We might not know much about them, but the GIW has already proven they don't care who gets in their way. They're armed and dangerous, and'll stop at nothing to get him. We are _not_ letting that happen."

Lantern stepped forward, a large frown on his face. "Listen, are we absolutely sure of who the enemy is right now?" He asked, turning towards the others. "I mean, don't get me wrong. I like the kid, a lot. But. . . . are we really sure he didn't just do all those things to get on our good graces?" He asked.

Batman stepped forward, eyes narrowed as he turned to the others. "I do know one thing for certain. The GIW was created by Cadmus, an organization who deems people dangerous merely for what they are. And if the GIW is _anything_ like what Waller explained to me . . . . then I _know_ who the enemy is. And it certainly isn't the kid in there." He growled out, pushing past the others as he strode up the the warehouse.

Placing his hand against the tinted metal of the door, Batman slowly pushed it open, a loud creak echoing out around the warehouse. Inside, the conditions weren't much better. Much of the ground was cracked and wet, large puddles forming on the ground underneath the large holes in the roof, if one could even call it a roof anymore.

The chilling breeze of a blowing wind whisked past the Dark Knight as he walked deeper into the dark building. Scanning the back walls for a moment, Batman;s eyes fell on a small switch in the corner. Flicking it on, a soft humming filled the building as the few surviving lights overhead crackled and blinked to life, illuminating some areas while covering others in complete shadow.

Farther into the warehouse, the large shadows of forgotten crates could be seen in the darkness . . . . . . . . as well as a pair of blinking green eyes.

Before the man could decipher whether it was real or merely his imagination, a bright green blast shot out of the dark, scorching the ground next to his feet. Quickly rolling to the side, the man whipped his head back up towards the shadows once more. "Danny?" He called. "Danny, it's me. It's Batman."

The sound of shuffling feet could be heard, followed by the soft sound of hands running along wood. "Batman . . . . ." A small voice echoed. "Y-you . . . shouldn't b-be here. S-shouldn't . . . . "

Batman furrowed his brow at the sound of the voice. If he didn't know any better, he would have never been able to tell that was Danny. It sounded so distant, so . . . . broken. The Dark Knight slowly began to creep closer to the voice, closer to the shadows clinging to the back of the warehouse. Maybe if he could get around the teen, he could get him out into the open.

Slowly beginning to circle around the teen, Batman took another step forward, catching a glimpse of white hair. "Danny, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." He said softly, not wishing to spook the teen. As he walked, his foot brushed up against something hard. Crouching down, he reached his hand out, keeping his eyes locked on the shadowed figure as he picked up the object.

Glancing down, he realized it was another communicator. The same one he had probably been tracking. Setting it back down, the man took another step forward, making out the outline of a face now.

"Y-you weren't s-s-supposed to f-find me." The teen whispered, taking a shaky step backwards. "Nobody w-was supposed t-to . . . find me."

"Danny, calm down. It's alright." Batman said once more, hoping to convince the boy, or at least get close enough to grab him; to stop him from running again. Shifting closer once more, Batman could now begin to make out the teen in the darkness. He narrowed his eyes and took another step forward as his eyes made out a gleam of red.

Danny's eyes flashed green once more as he noticed Batman slowly approaching him. "N-no. Stay . . . stay b-back." He warned, shifting backwards uneasily. "St-stay away. N-no, g-get back." He growled, his voice seeming to grow more and more anxious as he crept backwards, only for his feet to catch on one another, causing him to tumble backwards. As the dimly lit light above fell onto the teen, Batman was able to finally get a good look at him.

Batman's newly clenched fists began to shake at his sides as his knuckles turned white underneath his gloves.

Many different colored bruises and scratches scarred Danny's face, his normally scruffy white hair now messy and disheveled as it clung to his forehead, the rain finally beginning to clear away the blood that was caked on the tips. His suit was ripped in more than one place, revealing deep slash marks, as well as dark blistering burns on his chest and arm. He cradled said arm close to his body, the odd angle at which it stuck out signifying it was either dislocated or broken.

But what really made Batman sick was the amount of blood covering the teen. It was splattered at the base of his neck, dripping down his arms, down his chest, across his cheek.

The teen stared up at the Dark Knight, paralyzing fear flashing in his eyes as he shook. He whimpered slightly as the man took another slow step forward, trying to drag himself backwards with his good arm, only to throw himself into a coughing fit as his body shook.

Quickly throwing all thoughts of slow and steady out the window, Batman quickly rushed to the teen's side, carefully flipping Danny over, wrapping an arm around his chest as he continued to cough until finally falling limp in the man's arms.

Gently flipping him onto his back once more, Danny's head fell into the crook of Batman's arms as his eyes fluttered open once more. The Dark Knight cursed silently as he noticed the trickle of blood that was now dripping out of the corner of the boy's mouth.

"W-why are. . . you h-here?" He asked softly, gazing up at the man above him.

"I came looking for you, we all did." Batman explained softly. "Your friends are worried about you."

The kid let out a soft snort. "With good reason." He sighed, lowering his gaze, wincing slightly as his cradled arm shifted slightly.

Batman narrowed his eyes at this before turning towards the teen once more. "Danny . . . . what happened?"

The kid groaned slightly. "I sh-should have left. I _would_ have left . . . . if I c-could." He murmured. "They were ready f-for me, though. On t-the outskirts of to-town, they've s-set themselves up." He explained. "Trackers, pinpointed on m-my ecto-signature.. I-If I try to f-fly out of . . . here, they'll b-be on me like _that,_ invisible o-or no, in the-air, or in t-the ground. And I c-can't exactly just h-hitchhike out o-of town. They've p-planned for everything I c-can possibly do." He sighed.

Batman shook his head softly. "But I haven't seen any agents around."

Danny shut his eyes softly before opening them once more. "Oh, they're . . . ev-everywhere. Lurking, w-waiting. Most of t-them are un-undercover, waiting f-for me to shown myself." The teen let out a soft chuckle. "L-last night's fight d-didn't go so well f-for m-me." He stuttered, turning his head away as another groan of pain made him curl his fingers into the dirt.

As Batman placed a hand to the teen's head, he noticed a flash of light. Glancing down, he watched a bright white ring appear around Danny' waist, beginning to travel up and down his body before snapping back together, leaving him in his ghostly form as before.

Danny growled in annoyance, only to blink his eyes in realization. A small smile formed on his face as he rested his head back into the Dark Knight's arms. "Heh . . . guess I don't really need to fight it anymore, huh?" He whispered softly as the rings appeared once more, only this time, they traveled all the way up his body, transforming him into his raven-haired counterpart.

Batman took notice that all his injuries regretfully remained the same, only to watch as Danny lifted his good arm shakily, bringing it over to his other. Carefully, reaching his hand up the jacket sleeve, his hand clipped onto something before slowly pulling it out once more.

It was a thin silver armband, different wires wrapping around it, leading to a small green light in the center. Slowly handing it to the Dark Knight, the teen's arm dropped back to the ground in exhaustion, Batman scanning the device for a moment before placing it in his belt.

Another hacking cough rattled the thin teen's frame, sending shudders across his entire body before falling limp into the Dark Knight's arms once more. Danny took in a shaky breath before shutting his eyes softly. "It doesn't really m-matter anyway. T-this is the l-last safe place in a-all of Gotham. Sh-shouln't be too l-long now." He whispered softly.

Batman narrowed his eyes angrily at the boy's words. "Danny, I'm not going to let them hurt you."

"There's no p-point in trying t-to stop them, B-Batman." The teen countered. "Believe me, I-I've been t-trying for s-s-six years."

He shut his eyes, tears beginning to spring into the corners. "I can't r-run anymore. I-I can't f-fight anymore. I-I just . . .I just c-can't do it." He whimpered. "I tried, I-I really t-tried. I'm just s-sorry for dragging y-you into this." He groaned, small streams beginning to drip down his cheeks as he slowly felt his hand along the ground, Batman meeting him halfway as he wrapped his fingers around the teen's small hand.

Danny's watery blue eyes met his own, staring up at him in fear. "Batman, I . . . I'm scared." He confessed, tears dripping as the corners of his vision started to become hazy.

Batman rested his free hand on the boy's head, gently pulling the wet bangs out of the teen's face. "I know, Danny. I know you are." He whispered softly, watching as Danny hissed in pain once more, his body tensing.

The boy stared up at him once more. "I-I'm sorry, Batman." He gasped out softly, colors slowly beginning to bleed into one another.

"For what?"

". . . . . . . . . everything . . ."

"Danny? Danny?!" Batman called, cursing as the teen's head lulled to the side, his body going slack in his arms. Scanning the room for a moment, Batman gently picked the boy up in his arms, quickly carrying him out the door.

Upon exiting, the others were quickly upon him, staring down at the teen in shock.

"Is . . . . Is that . . ." Flash stuttered, gazing at the limp kid in the man's arms with a shocked expression, trying to process how it was the same boy that had warmed his way up to him.

Superman quickly turned to him. "I hear cars approaching in the distance. Four minutes, tops." He explained hurriedly, Batman nodding in understanding. "Come on, we need to go." He voiced, turning towards the Javelin. "In human form, we might be able to get him out of here without triggering their alarms." He explained to the others as they began to quickly file into the plane.

Superman quickly flew over to the controls as the Javelin began to rise into the air. As they began to disappear in the clouds, Batman caught sight of white vans quickly pulling into the shipyard before fading from sight.

As the Javelin quickly continued to leave the dark city behind it, Batman carefully carried the teen over to the emergency medical station in the back of the plane, quickly removing a blanket, rags and gauze as he quickly created a makeshift sling, tying it around the kid's damaged arm before grabbing the blanket, draping it over the teen's shivering body, the wet hair and soaked clothes doing nothing to aid in the kid's risk of hypothermia.

As the man continued to do what he could to stop the most severe bleeding, the other Leaguers glanced at each other before turning towards the Dark knight. "We're going to need some explanations, Bruce." Diana said softly as she walked over.

The man nodded. "Trust me, I want them just as much as you do. But right now . . . . I'm more worried about him." He confessed, seriously wondering whether the teen would survive the night.

* * *

 **CLIFFHANGERS: 3**

 **READERS: 0**

 **So sorry, I really don't mean to do it. Shouldn't be one in the next chapter . . . . . I don't think.**

 **Painting a room is sooo tiring! I can't feel my arms! On the bright side, my room in now a happy green. I actually finished writing this yesterday, but it was at like midnight and I was too tired to fine tune, spell check and do this little things with the reviews and crap. Well you have it now, so good for you guys.**

 **NOTE: that wristband will be explained in the next chapter**

 **NOTE (2): get ready to drown in backstory!**

 **Thanks to these people for favoriting and/or following: _childofthegarlicbreadassassin, meme9911001, Az The Dragon, Chachita97, Graham Crackers Are Awesome, RedAllen, mrssketchy, Lenov0; 92_**

 **Reviews:**

 **Irken Invader: Yeah, TV Danny would probably hate me for doing this . . . . . oh well!**

 **KaiserUltima: Yeah, that was basically the most horrible teaser I could throw at you guys. Well you shouldn't be disappointed with chapter 15 though!**

 **gwencarson: Oh . . . . . okay! :)**

 **God of the Challenge: That would be pretty cool . . . . . but probably not.**

 **6BlueSweaters: Yeah, this is kind of getting stressful for me as well. Well hopefully this chapter relieved some of those stresses while simultaneously drowning you in new ones XD. I love messing with people.**

 **YouCanOnlyPretend: Highlight of Spring Break I guess.**

 **reader238: or bats out of caves . . . . . . . I'll go sit down now.**

 **wiseguy2415: Umm . . . . . . thanks I guess.**


	15. Chapter 15: Dead Roots Rising

**Chapter 15: Dead Roots Rising**

"Bring him in here." J'onn said urgently, flying into the medical wing, the others quickly following behind him as Batman carried the unconscious teen inside. Danny groaned slightly as he was gently placed onto the medical table. The bleeding had slowed slightly, but it was still enough to warrant concern.

"We need to treat the wounds on his chest first, they're the most severe." Batman instructed, J'onn nodding as he helped the Dark Knight remove the teen's soaked jacket, carefully maneuvering it off his broken arm before pulling his tattered shirt off.

On his side, starting at the base of his hip and ending at his left ribcage was a long burn mark, the skin raw and red as trails of blood dripped onto the metal table beneath. But even with the severe burn, it was not what caught everyone's attention. No . . . . it was what was underneath the burn, across his entire body that made them freeze.

"Great Hera." Diana gasped out. Superman, J'onn and Hawkgirl stood slack-jawed, eyes wide as they stared back at the boy. Flash stumbled backwards, steadying himself one of the nearby machines while Lantern's fists clenched silently. But none could match with Batman's reaction.

The man stood silent, staring at the teen for a moment before ramming his fist into one of the nearby machines, sparks flying and wires snapping as his gloved hand slammed into the circuitry. He growled before raising a hand to his face, rubbing his eyes in disbelief.

But none could really blame him, for most of them wanted to do the exact same at the sight.

Across Danny's chest were the faded marks of old scars, some shallow cuts while others were deep slash marks. They ran up and down his body in haphazard movements, but what really caught their attention were the deep carvings in the center of his chest. They started at the tip of his shoulders, moving down diagonally before meeting in the center of his chest, extending downwards, creating a perfect cross-section.

Batman was the first to right himself, quickly snapping back to attention as he grabbed sterile bandages and doused a small rag in water. J'onn blinked back into reality quickly afterwards. After asking the others to leave the room, they set to work on the teen's wounds, quickly dealing with the burn marks before properly setting the teen's broken arm in a proper cast.

As they worked, Batman caught sight of Danny's other arm. Without his usual jacket covering them, the man noticed that there was a set of small black numbers printed on the boy's forearm in the exact spot the kid would rub whenever he was nervous. He narrowed his eyes angrily before setting to work once more, cleaning and wrapping the bloody wounds.

Finally, after a proper check, J'onn concluded that the teen had two second degree burns and one third degree, four broken bones, including one in his arm and three ribs, major blood loss, and a mild case of hypothermia. In hindsight, Batman realized it could have been much worse had they not shown up, but it still made him furious.

The martian left the Dark Knight to set up the IV and oxygen tube as he stepped out into the hallway to fill in the others, who stop around nervously.

"Who the _hell_ would do something like that? And to a _kid_ , no less!" John snarled, turning towards the others.

Clark shook his head, eyes shut angrily as he tried to hold in his frustrations, the questions he still held making him even angrier. "I don't know, but I'd _love_ to find out and give them a piece of my mind." He growled out. "We might not know the truth about Danny, but _nobody_ deserves that! To be . . . cut open like a frog!"

Diana turned her concerned look back towards the window. "How could someone do this?"

Wally leaned himself back against the wall, not really trusting his legs anymore. "I-I don't know. . . " He murmured, for once at a loss for words.

Shayera glanced into the window, the others following her gaze as they watched Batman finish inserting the IV drip, finally taking a seat next to the teen's bed. "Is . . . . is he going to be okay?" She asked, turning towards the others. "Danny . . . . is he-"

J'onn placed a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "I am not sure, but I _do_ know Danny is a strong child, especially for one so young. I believe, if he has the right guidance, that he will be able to recover." He explained.

Diana felt a small smile form on her lips as she turned back towards the window. "I don't think guidance is really a problem for the kid anymore."

The others turned towards the room before slowly filing out of the room, leaving the Dark Knight to tend to the boy alone.

* * *

"Bruce?" Diana called as she walked into the room. The man glanced up from the computer he had currently been typing at.

"We're going back down to see if those agents left anything behind. Maybe we'll find something that can help us." She explained. "Want to come?" She asked.

The man shook his head. "No, someone has to be here when he wakes up or he might start to panic." Batman stated.

Diana walked forward. "I'm sure one of the others could-"

"I'm staying."

The firmness of the voice confirmed the woman's thoughts. Batman wasn't leaving until Danny woke up. The woman let a small smile slip onto her face as she walked over, resting a hand on the man's shoulder. "Alright, but try to get some rest. Can't do much to help if you're too exhausted to do anything." She stated before walking out.

The man stared at the closing door before turning back to the computer. It had been a few days since Danny had been brought up to the Watchtower, and the Dark Knight had been sticking close ever since. While in the room, he had begun to do research at the nearby computers, now trying to find out as much as he could about a newly discovered Danny _Fenton_.

But even with the newly acquired last name, the man's search still came up dry. He had even tried to find something out about Danny's last known surviving family, Jack Fenton, but the man had strangely disappeared six to seven years ago, around the same time Danny was administered to the GIW.

Batman was also painfully aware of the fact that while up in the Watchtower, he was _not_ in Gotham. But he also had a plan for that. Though Gotham was missing Batman, they had recently received visits from Nightwing and Red Robin, who had quickly been called in, considering the Bat had his wings full at the moment.

The man smirked slightly in his seat as he thought of the others. Dick had especially been eager to meet the new _partner_ Batman had discussed briefly months back, the others showing a similar curiosity. Through it all, The Dark Knight kept Phantom a pretty well-kept secret, which was a hard thing to accomplish considering how . . . well . . . . . . _Bat-like_ his family was.

The thought made Batman stand from his seat, walking over to the teen's bedside before sitting in the chair next to him. The files had told him of a mother and sister who had died when Danny was young and a father who disappeared right after Danny did.

The Dark Knight stared at the teen lying silently in the bed. "What kind of family did you have?" He asked softly.

As he situated himself in the chair, the man slowly began to realize how tired he was. He hadn't really slept recently, considering everything that had been thrown at them. He let out a small sigh as he rested his elbow on the arm of the chair and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

The man felt his eyes begin to close as he rested his head on the back of the chair, finally allowing himself a moment to stop and rest as he quickly fell asleep.

Batman didn't really know much time had passed before the sound of a soft groan made him snap open his eyes.

Quickly turning towards the bed, he watched as Danny hand twitched slightly, the teen's head turning to the side before flipping back once more, eyes scrunched tightly. The Dark Knight quickly rose to his feet, making his way over to the bed as Danny continued to toss and turn, soft moans escaping occasionally.

"Danny?" The man called softly as the teen gripped the blankets tightly, gently placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.

Danny's eyes suddenly snapped open, his arm shooting forward, the fist that rammed into Batman's cheek sending him stumbling backwards. The teen quickly bolted upright in the bed, letting out a gasp of pain as he clutched his side. He scanned the room wildly, eyes unfocused and distant.

The Dark Knight was quickly at the teen's side once more. Dodging another swing, he grabbed onto Danny's good wrist tightly, forcing it still. "Danny! Danny It's me!" Batman called out as the boy started to struggle in his grip.

The man grunted as the teen continued to try and lash out, loud shouts and cries escaping the panicking boy as he fought. Batman wrapped his hand around Danny's other shoulder, quickly forcing him back down onto the bed as he tried to get him to calm down.

Danny's eyes snapped open once more as he continued to fight. Batman tightened his grip on the boy, trying to keep him from injuring himself any further than he already was. "Danny! Danny, calm down!" He shouted, hoping to get through the fog clouding the teen's mind.

"No!" The boy shouted, shutting his eyes once more as he turned his head away, arm still thrashing in the man's grip. "L-leave me alone! Please!" He cried out, fearful eyes snapping open once more. As Batman stared down at the teen, his eyes met those of Danny's, startled by the amount of paralyzing fear dripping out of the teen's eyes.

He quickly held Danny down once more before raising his free hand, placing it on the boy's cheek. "Danny!" He called once more before lowering his voice, quickly trying to calm himself and the teen down. "Danny . . . . it's me. It's Batman." He called, watching as the teen's motions started to slow slightly, his head still turned away in fear.

"It's alright. It's okay. You're safe." The Dark Knight whispered softly. "You're safe."

Finally, Danny stopped struggling in the man's grip as he slowly blinked his eyes back into reality, the fogginess lifting to reveal their normal crystalline-blue color. The tension dropped from his muscles and his distant gaze returned to normal.

As he stared back into the Dark Knight's face, Danny felt his breathing begin to quicken, Batman watching as the teen's eyes glazed over. Tears began to spring in the corners of his eyes before quickly sliding down his face, splattering on the blankets around him.

Batman gently sat down on the bed, wrapping his arms around the teen as he pulled him closer, allowing him to sob into his chest. He softly shushed the boy, running a hand through his thick black hair as he tried to calm the crying child in his arms.

Danny buried his head into the man's shoulder, not even bothering to hold back his sobs anymore. He didn't care, he just wanted to cry; something he hadn't allowed himself to do in years. He felt the man gently rocking him back and forth as he continued to sob, the motion slowly soothing the boy as he finally let everything go.

"It's alright, Danny. It's okay." Batman hushed quietly. "You're safe."

If anything, the words made the tears fall faster as Danny curled up in the man's grip, wanting nothing more than to stay as safe and secure as he felt right now. After a while, he felt his sobs quiet to soft hiccups, small tears continuing to drip out of the corner of his eyes.

Batman pulled away and placed his hands on the teen's face, gently wiping away the tears with his thumbs as he lifted Danny's head to face him, tears dripping onto his gloved hands. The man hesitated for a moment before lifting his hand, reaching for the cowl around his face. Pulling it away, he let it fall against the back of his neck before turning towards the shocked teen once more.

"Listen, Danny. I promise you . . . . . I _promise_ you I won't let the GIW hurt you as long as I can stop it. But I need to know more. I need you to tell me what happened." He said softly. "Can you do that?" He asked, running a hand through the teen's hair.

Danny gazed down at the bed for a moment before softly nodding his head. "Y-yes. I . . . I can tell you." He said softly. "But it might take a while."

Bruce gave a small smirk. "I think we have some time."

Danny nodded in understanding before letting out a small sigh. He hadn't delved into these memories in years, something he had purposely avoided doing. He tried so hard just to forget it, wash it away as if it were nothing but a small smear on his life. But as years passed, Danny had finally began to understand. That smear . . . . _was_ his life. A life he had been running from for years. He felt his hands begin to shake as he ran his thumb over the numbers etched onto his arm.

He stopped as he felt Bruce's hand gently fall over his. "I'll be right here." He whispered encouragingly, knowing full well how painful it could be digging into a past that was better left buried.

Danny let out a small sigh.

"It started when I was five . . . . . "

. . . . . .

 _"My parents were scientists. Inventors. And they were always creating these crazy inventions, most of them focused on the supernatural. My mom normally allowed us down in the lab with her whenever she was working on something, if only to keep her company. I . . . . I remember her favorite part about creating new machines. Whenever she designed something, she always placed a small button on the side that would light up when the device started to work._

 _She . . . she would always get so happy whenever those lights started to blink._

 _Well . . . . . . . over time, I would begin to hear noises late at night. Mom and Dad . . . . talking about something. Something troubling. Something . . . about money._

 _I didn't think too much of it, I barely even knew what money was at that time. But pretty soon, I noticed Mom being quieter than usual. She would sit by the kitchen table, different papers around them, most of them in red writing. I hated those papers, they always made her upset. I thought they were mean._

 _Then . . . after a particularly mean pile of papers, Mom called us over as we went down into the lab."_

"Why are you sad, Mommy?" Danny asked as the woman bent down and scooped up the small five-year old. Jazz walked by her side as they began to descend the stairs into the large room below.

Maddie smiled as she turned down towards the kid next to her. "It's nothing to worry about, Baby. Just something for Mommy and Daddy to worry about." She said sweetly, running a hand through the boy's hair. "After all, never really expected this to be a particularly wealthy business . . . ." She muttered to herself under her breath.

Danny and Jazz exchanged a confused look before they entered the lab. Counters stretched around the room, different beakers and papers scattered on top as well as different unfinished machines. On the far side of the room sat a gaping hole in the wall, a large metal frame wrapping around the opening.

Setting the five-year old back onto the ground, Maddie walked over to the large hole and checked the circuitry on the inside, clicking her tongue in annoyance. "Well, nobody said building a machine to rip a hole in the very fabric of dimensional barriers was an easy task, huh kids?" She asked jokingly, expecting the confused looks she got.

Nevertheless, after quickly suiting up the kids into their usual hazmat suits, Maddie grabbed a ratty coloring book and a handful of crayons from the counter. Walking over, she set the book down in front of the boy sitting on the ground. "Why don't you color me a pretty picture, Danny?" She suggested, the boy grinning up at her as he grabbed the crayons.

After making sue the boy was thoroughly entertained in the book, Maddie walked back over to the counter, grabbing a seat next to one particular machine, Jazz taking a seat next to her. "What's this, Mommy?" The girl asked, eyes scanning the gleaming metal of the machine as well as the non-blinking light on the side.

Maddie ran a hand across the smooth metal. "Well if this works as I planned, it should interfere with spectral noise and send back a signal allowing the user to locate the origin point. . . . ." She trailed off as her eyes led off to the side, making out another piece of paper off to the side. She sighed and reached over, grabbing the letter as she held it up. "I had hoped to have enough to at _least_ last us another month, but . . . ."

 _"I noticed Mom off to the side, holding another one of those papers tightly. They were upsetting her again. They were mean. Why were they so mean?"_

The child pouted sadly as he watched his sister trying to comfort their mother, but a seven-year old only had so much experience in helping with such problems. Danny watched as Maddie quickly wiped her eyes, a sad smile on her face as she gently caressed Jazz's cheek.

"Alright, enough of that. Let's see what we can do here." She said softly, turning back to the machine.

Danny watched his mother and sister turn back to the shiny machine, but he quickly took notice of the way Maddie continued to wipe her eyes. He softly set down his crayons and pushed the coloring book away before a soft light caught in his eyes, making him look up.

Across the room, inside the large hole in the wall was a small blinking light, shining brightly in the darkness. His eyes locked onto the blinking light as he slowly rose to his feet, baby blue eyes staying on the shining red light.

"Mommy loves the blinking lights." He whispered softly as he began to walk forward, Maddie and Jazz never noticing as the child slowly began to move closer to the portal. His feet made a soft clicking noise as he entered the metallic structure of the empty portal, eyes staying focused on the blinking light in the back.

Maddie chuckled as she stared at the machine in front of her. "Danny, come look at this bu-" She started, only to stop as she realized the coloring book had been abandoned. "Danny?" She called, rising from her seat, Jazz quickly doing the same.

Finally, the woman's eyes locked onto the child, who was now inside the unfinished portal, hand outstretched towards the blinking _on_ button!

"Danny, NO!" She screamed, running forward right as the boy's finger pressed down on the blinking button, the entire room suddenly being enveloped in a bright white light as the portal shot to life.

 _"I don't remember much of what happened there. All I get is heat. Heat and pain. A flash of green. Then nothing. I finally came to a little while later."_

Danny slowly cracked open his eyes, firstly noticing the strand of white hair in front of his face. Quickly jumping to his feet, the second thing the child noticed was the blazing fire around him, everything black and charred. He gasped and took a step backwards, only to leap away from the now glowing green portal.

"Mommy?!" He called, scanning the smoking room for the shape of his mother, the voice of his sister.

As he quickly ran around the burning room, he vaguely noticed he was now in a black and white jumpsuit, the exact opposite of the suit he had been wearing before. Finally, his eyes locked onto two shapes on the ground, limp and unmoving as the fire burned around them, their now charred bodies making them almost unrecognizable.

"Mommy! Jazzy!"

. . . . . .

" . . . . ."

" . . . Are you okay? Bruce asked softly, placing a hand on the silent boy's shoulder. "We can take a break if you-"

"No . . it's okay." Danny whispered, taking in a shaky breath. "I . . . I just haven't really thought about that in a long time." He said softly, fingers running over the lines in the blanket. "But after that . . . . after that is when things started to take a turn into Crap Town, population: me." He muttered.

Bruce furrowed his brow. "What about your father? He survived that explosion."

Danny nodded. "Yeah, he wasn't even been in the house at the time. But . . . . I guess it's kind of hard to get along with someone you blame for the death of your wife and daughter." Danny said softly, lowering his gaze.

Bruce narrowed his eyes as he watched the boy's hands begin to shake once more. "Danny . . . . it's alright." He said softly, realizing the teen beginning to shut down at the mention of his father. "Just take it slow."

Danny hesitated for a moment before nodding softly. "My . . . _dad_ . ." He started, choking the word out almost as if it were too much for him to process, " . . .he made it blatantly clear that the blame for the explosion was on me. And he certainly wasn't pleased when he found out about my powers." The teen lowered his gaze. "He said they were punishment for what I had done."

The boy turned his head away before continuing. "And for the next two years, he continued to drill into my mind just how much he hated me, how much he loathed me, despised me. And whenever I did something to make him mad . . . . well there were consequences to pay." He said softly.

Bruce leaned in closer. "What kind of consequences?" He asked with narrowed eyes, a sick feeling beginning to stir in the pit of his stomach.

Danny glanced back up to meet the man's gaze. "Let's just say these scars aren't _all_ from the GIW." He murmured.

Bruce curled his fist into the covers, but remained quiet nonetheless.

"Anyway, the . . . punishments were bad, but they don't compare to what happened when I was seven." He whispered.

"The GIW." Bruce uttered softly, Danny nodding his head before shutting his eyes, his fingers curling into the blankets in the same fashion Bruce's had.

"You know, the GIW didn't just happen to stumble upon me." He growled out. "No. They were called to my house. My _dad_ called them." He snarled, eyes now glowing a fierce green as he glared at the ground. "He _called_ them to drag me away like a common animal. He watched as I was dragged out, kicking and screaming for him, and he _waved!"_ Danny shouted, hand shaking furiously as they tore through the bed fabric, tears beginning to spring from his eyes once more.

Bruce gently squeezed the teen's hand reassuringly, Danny tracing his finger over the grooves in the man's glove before letting out a deep breath.

. . . . . .

 _"The drive was long. That was the first thing I remember. The next is that it was hot. I mean, really hot. It took forever, but the van finally stopped."_

Danny's eyes flew open as the car jerked around, knocking his head against the hard metal. The child groaned and rubbed his head, noticing his hair was now black once more. He slowly began to realize the van was now stopping, the soft squeak of the wheels signifying their stop.

Suddenly, the van doors flew open as three men in white suits stared back at him. Danny gasped and quickly scooted into the corner of the trunk, only for one man to reach forward, wrapping a cold hand around the boy's ankle, dragging him forward as he screamed.

As he was pulled out of the car, he kicked and struggled against the men as they tried to hold him down. One man off to the side reached into his pocket and pulled out a small remote. Pointing it at the boy, he pressed a large red button on the side.

Danny shrieked in pain as sharp red currents flowed from the collar around his neck, his body shaking in agony as the currents flowed through him. Finally, the agent pressed the button once more, Danny flopping onto the floor as he gasped for breath.

The men roughly grabbed onto his arms, hoisting him painfully to his feet before clamping glowing green cuffs around his wrists.

Danny stared up at the agents, tears springing to his eyes as they began to lead him away from the van. The boy scanned his surroundings, heart beginning to pound quicker and quicker as they walked. The walls were white, the floors were white, the machines were white, and every suit was . . .yep, white!

THey suddenly turned at a narrow hallway, opening the door at the end, pushing Danny through. The kid opened his eyes once more and gasped at what he saw.

 _"I don't know how many there actually were, definitely more than when I left."_

Throughout the room, lining the walls were cages of different sizes, transparent glass-like surfaces allowing those passing by to view into the cells. Inside were ghosts of all shapes and sizes, each glaring at the agents as they walked past, while others gazed at the child sadly.

Trudging past the cells, Danny gazed at the different ghosts he passed: a girl with flaming blue hair and scared green eyes, a ghost with robotic armor and fiery green hair, a short blue-skinned man in overalls, a green woman with long black hair and a swirling blue genie tail, even a frikkin puppy! Granted it was green with glowing red eyes, but still!

 _"And that was barely even a fraction of the number of ghosts they had inside. Some of them I never even saw . . . . but I heard them. In fact, it was blocking out their screams that proved difficult. Still, we kept walking until we finally stopped at one strange door at the very end of the hallway."_

Danny felt his heartbeat begin to quicken as they approached the door. One agent quickly walked forward, punching in a code into the number key next to the door before lifting his glasses, leaning forward as a small panel opened up on the keypad, quickly scanning his eye before the door quickly slid open.

Pushing the kid inside, Danny fell to the floor, his skin rubbing painfully against the cold floor. Glancing up, his eyes widened as he stared back at the room. In the far back was a large glass panel stretching up from the floor all the way to ceiling, completely sectioning off a whole back section of the large room. Inside the glass confines, there was only a single metallic cot.

In front of the glass chamber, computers and control panels stood, different wires trailing across the floor towards the cell. Around the room, different people in white suits milled around, some passing around papers while others tampered with the computers and machines, making sure the cell was up to full power.

Everybody instantly quieted down upon noticing Danny, the agents quickly hoisting him to his feet once more. Quickly dragging the child forward, the agents mouthed something to another before a small door in the cell's glass wall opened up.

Shoving the boy into the opening, the door quickly closed once more, shutting him inside. Slowly rising to his feet, Danny noticed the cuffs cease their harsh glow as the doors snapped shut, the metallic clamps quickly clattering onto the floor as they snapped off.

Danny gazed around the small cell before taking a step forward. Placing his hand on the glass, he instantly leapt backwards. Raising up his shaking hand, he noticed the skin was now red and smoking. Gazing back up at the glass, he noticed how it glowed dully in a green light. Danny felt his breathing quicken as he quickly whipped his head around, trying to find some way out.

But he quickly froze as the men and scientists in the room quieted down and straightened up. Gazing out through the glass, Danny watched as the back doors opened up, three people quickly walking in. Two were men, one was a balding man with a dark grey mustache in a general's outfit, while the other wore glasses and wore a long white lab coat, much like the others.

The last was a dark-skinned woman with short black hair in a dark blue dress suit.

Danny felt himself back away from the glass as they approached. "I don't suggest touching that glass. It's made to repel and contain spectral beings." The woman explained in an emotionless voice that made the boy shiver.

"This is _my_ facility. Meaning you are _my property_." She growled out. "Meaning you either do as I say, or there _will_ be consequences. Do I make myself clear?" She snapped, Danny quickly nodding his head as he wrapped his arms around himself.

"Good. See to it you remember that." She called before turning, quickly disappearing as fast as she had entered.

Once the doors slid close, the others in the room quickly snapped back to work. As two agents passed, they turned their sneers towards the glass. "I suggest you get comfy, you freak. You're going to be here for quite a while." One sniped, the other chuckling as they quickly exited the room.

Danny shivered at their rooms before a loud shout caught his attention. Across the room, one man was pointing to the cell as he barked orders at a group of agents. Danny inched closer as he tried to make out what they were saying.

"-and how long until we're able to proceed?"

"Well, we'll need a bit of time to run some standard tests just to make sure he's able to handle-"

"How long?!"

"Um . . . 36, 72 hours."

"Unacceptable. Proceed now."

"But . . . . but we don't even know if his molecular structure is able to handle the kinds of tests we-"

"Proceed now!"

"Waller said not to-"

"I don't care what Waller said. She made _me_ head of this division, and I say _proceed now!_ "

". . . . . yes sir."

"Good, now get that freak over to B-13 and prep him."

The agents nodded in compliance before quickly making their way over.

As the door opened, Danny ran to the back of the cell, heart pounding as he stared at the agents, only for the same agonizing electricity to pump around his neck, coursing throughout his body. Releasing the current, Danny slumped against the back wall as the agents approached, roughly grabbing his arms.

The boy quickly snapped back to attention as he felt his feet being dragged along the slick floor. "No!" He shouted as he began to kick and lash out, only to feel something hard slack him in the side of the head. Snapping his eyes open, he watched as an agent held his blaster, readying another blow from the back of the gun, only for Danny to whimper and turn away.

"Yeah, now keep quiet, freak." The man snarled as they continued to drag the boy behind them.

Finally, they entered a room much smaller than the last, but the sight of it made Danny kick and scream all over again, even another blow to the head not enough to quiet his screams.

Inside, a large metal table sat in the center, different counters lining the back walls. Hanging from the walls were different sharp tools and needles while multi-colored liquids sat and bubbled in large containers off to the side, different tubes and wires leading from them towards the table.

Another violent shock got the kid to quiet down as they dragged him to the table, strapping his wrists and ankles down with glowing metallic clamps. Danny felt tears streaming down his face as he tried and failed to phase out of the cuffs.

He froze as the door opened, a group of men in long lab coats quickly filing into the room. Danny felt himself begin to shiver as one moved closer, grabbing a long metal pole, attaching what looked like the top of a branding iron. Etched into the metal, Danny could make out what looked like numbers, but they were backwards, rendering him unable to read them.

He watched as the man pulled out a small container of thick black ink, setting it down on the table next to the table. He rolled up the child's sleeve, exposing his forearm, Danny's heart beginning to pound as his mind began to click the pieces together. He let out a soft whimper as the man walked over to one of the counters, grabbing a large heat torch.

The loud hiss of the device filled the air as the man quickly ran the flame over the top of the branding iron, the numbers slowly turning a bright orange. Finally, the man lifted the iron, the numbers shining as they burned in white heat.

Quickly dipping the glowing metal in the ink, the man held it up in the air, staring down at the panicking boy below. "Sorry, kid." He murmured as he lowered the branding iron towards his forearm. "Just following orders."

The blood-curdling scream that echoed down the halls filled the trapped ghosts' ears, sending shivers down their cold spines. The realization that another poor soul had officially joined their ranks hit them hard as they stared down at their own numbers forever burned into their skin.

. . . . . .

Bruce softly wiped away the tears that were now streaming down Danny's face, the teen staring off at nothing as he finished. The boy quickly blinked back into reality as he stared at the man in front of him before lowering his head. " . . . . sorry." He whispered softly.

Bruce sighed and wrapped an arm around the boy, gently pulling him closer as Danny rested the side of his head on the man's shoulder.

A moment passed of the two sitting together in silence before Bruce lifted his head, running a hand through the teen's hair once more. "How long did that go on, Danny?" He asked softly.

The teen shrugged his shoulder, not lifting his head as he glanced up. "I didn't really have a way to tell time in there, but when I escaped, I quickly figured out more than a year had passed." He explained.

"Escaped . . ." Bruce echoed.

Danny nodded his head. "Yeah, escaped. I still don't understand what really happened, but at the time I didn't really care. All I knew was that the agents and scientists were beginning to pack their things and dismantle their things. That one scientist . . . . . . his last name was Jones . . . he was really the only person who would actually talk to me, other than the other ghosts."

"He always made sure to give me anesthetic whenever he was doing something especially painful, something the others didn't care too much he was the only one to actually call me by my name instead . . . . instead of by my _number."_ Danny sighed, glancing down at the code imprinted on his arm.

"Anyway, he told me one day that they were going to shut down the facility. Said there was a problem with their superior. He was actually pretty glad about what was happening, said it was about time. I still had no idea what he was really talking about, but if he was excited about it, I just took it as a good sign. Actually, I'm pretty sure he's the only reason I even made it out in the first place."

. . . . . .

Danny watched with dull eyes as the men milled around the room, filling different boxes with papers and files before carrying them out of the room. They didn't even look at the kid as they walked past the cell. Danny sighed tiredly as he curled up on the cot, closing his eyes as he tried to get a moment of sleep.

 _"I don't know how much time passed. Could have been a few minutes, a few hours. Well, I woke up to the sound of angry muttering"_

Danny slowly cracked open his eyes as the angered shouts filled his ears. The room was now dark, though the bright florescent lights in his cell were bright enough for him to see someone moving in the dark room outside the glass wall.

Slowly sliding off his cot, the eight-year old carefully stalked over to the glass wall, scanning the darkness for the source of the movement, only to gasp and leap backwards as a face appeared in the darkness. His pounding heart instantly calmed as he realized it was only Jones, the man running a hand through his hair as he approached the cell, his face hardened with a frown.

"What's the matter?" Danny whispered, throat hoarse from the experiments yesterday. They always left him with a raw throat, which is what hours of screaming could do to you.

Jones continued to pace back and forth in front of his cell. "I can't believe it. I can't believe _them!"_ He growled out.

"What?" Danny stressed, inching closer.

"How could they do this? How . . . how on Earth did I ever get wrapped up in this?!" He shouted to nobody in particular.

"JONES!"

The man whipped around the cell as Danny glared at him. "What's going on?" He asked.

Jones shook his head. "I thought we were done. I thought it was finally over . . . ." He whispered. "But . . . I was wrong. Danny I was wrong." He said softly. "I was so wrong. They're not stopping. Not even close! They're . . . they're leaving." He explained, Danny cocking his head in confusion.

"They're packing everything up and moving to a new secret facility. One even Waller doesn't know about." He stated. "I don't know how the _fuck_ they could do this. We'll need a shit-ton of money. And God knows _Cadmus_ isn't going to fund us anymore." He ranted, beginning to pace once more.

"They're shipping all the ghosts out soon. They're not letting them go, they're _shipping_ them." Jones groaned, placing a hand to his face as he rubbed his eyes tiredly before lifting his head once more. His eyes locked onto Danny's, the boy casting him a pleading look.

Jones stared hard at the floor, hands twitching as his sides before he glared back up, a new look of determination focusing on the kid in front of him. "I might not have been able to do anything before . . . . but I can do something now." He growled before rushing over to the computers and controls behind him.

Danny watched intently, accidentally placing his fingertips on the glass, to which he hissed in pain and pulled them close. Suddenly, the faint green glow that always surrounded the cells walls quickly shut off, Danny blinking in surprise as Jones walked in.

Danny inched backwards a bit, if only reflexively. But as Jones pulled out a small silver device, the boy stopped moving. Slowly moving his hand forward, Jones inserted the key into a small niche in the boy's collar, a small beep sounding before the metallic device clattered to the floor.

Danny blinked in shock before hesitantly rubbing his neck, trying to remember a time as to when the collar had not been around his neck.

He gazed back up at Jones with wide eyes, a small smile forming on his lips for the first time in over a year. The man turned a nervous glance behind him before gazing back at the boy. "There isn't much time. They're going to come back for you in a few minutes. Get out as fast as you can and don't look back." He instructed, quickly pulling the boy t his feet, careful to mind the newly acquired scars on his side from yesterday's _tests_.

The child hesitated for a moment before nodding his head. But before they could turn back towards the exit, the doors swung open, a sea of agents quickly filing in. Jones placed a hand on the boy's shoulder as they were quickly surrounded.

"Put your hands up and get down on the ground!" One man instructed as dozens of blasters were quickly aimed at them.

Jones slowly leaned closer to Danny as he began to reach into his coat. "Remember what I said. Don't look back. Don't stop." He whispered.

Suddenly, the man's arm shot out, a new blaster now in his hands as he began to fire at the surrounding agents. "NOW, DANNY!" He shouted, watching as the boy quickly flew into the air.

Danny flew towards the far end of the room, turning back to glance at the man, only to watch as the surrounding agents quickly opened fire, Jones crumpling to the ground in a lifeless heap. Danny felt tears spring into his eyes before watching the agents quickly turn their guns on him.

Casting one more glance towards the lifeless body on the ground, Danny shut his eyes and phased through the walls behind him, the sound of blasts hitting metal doors greeting him on the other side. He let out a small sigh of relief as he began to fly through the halls as quick as he could.

 _"The GIW had been testing my abilities throughout the year, seeing what I could do, how well I could do it. It's actually probably one of the only reasons I was able to escape. Without them testing my abilities all the time, I never would have been able to use them to break out."_

Phasing through another couple walls, Danny stopped as he entered one particularly small room, the sight making him freeze, his stomach quickly tying itself in a knot.

Hundreds upon hundreds of pictures had been taped to the walls, lining each and every corner, covering the counters, a different ghost depicted in each. And on every single photo, a red line had been crossed through the picture. Underneath the strike marks were a few scribbles, each saying a specific number of days: 18 days, 22 days, 48 days, 3 days, 82 days, etc.

 _"It . . . it was a records . . . of every . . . every k- . . . . . . . ."_

The child stumbled backwards, back slamming into the back wall as he stared at the room, heart pounding so loud he was surprised it didn't leap out of his chest. He swallowed the lump in his throat before quickly phasing out of the room. But the next room did little to help. If anything, it merely had the urge to hurl stronger.

It was a room similar to his own experimentation room. Yet somehow . . . . somehow it was much different.

The tools around the room didn't seem to be the type for experimenting. They seemed to be more . . . violent. More deadly. The table in the center was stained with blood, the green substance dripping slowly onto the floor. Different splatter marks decorated the walls, the floor, the ceiling. Whatever had been strapped down to the table . . . . it didn't last long.

Danny shut his eyes before phasing back out into the hallway, not able to bear looking into another room. He jumped as a loud blaring suddenly filled the halls, red lights quickly flashing around him as he picked up speed.

Flying down the next hallway, he phased through the wall and stumbled backwards at the number of eyes that quickly turned to him.

It was the room. The room of cages. Only, it was much different than when he had first seen it. Now, instead of merely one line of cells lining a wall, there were now dozens, each stacked on top of each other as they filled the room to the ceiling, every cell holding a frightened creature, big or small, young or old.

"Dipstick?" Ember gasped as she took notice of the new arrival from her cell. "You . . . . you're out?" She asked. Over the year, her and the others had gotten to know their newest cellmate, quickly becoming attached to the small child.

"I don't care how you did it, Whelp. Just get us out of here!" Skulker called from his cell above the girl, the other ghosts quickly shouting their agreements.

Danny quickly nodded his head as he scanned the room for the control panel. Quickly spotting it in the corner of the room, he zoomed down. Upon closer inspection, he quickly felt his mind draw a blank as he stared at all the different buttons and levers. "They couldn't just put a button that says _open?_ " He growled to himself before pressing everything he could.

The sirens in the distance made his movement quick and focused as he ignored the shakiness of his hands. His mind drifted back to the photos he had seen, the hundreds of ghosts that had . . . . no. All thoughts of leaving the ghosts were quickly banished from his mind at the thought. They weren't putting up another picture today. Not if he could help it.

Finally, he slammed his hand down on the only button left, a loud buzzing filling the air before the glass walls in front of the cells slowly opened up, the ghosts quickly rushing out. Ember, Johnny, Kitty, Youngblood, Desiree and others quickly flew forward, picking the child up with large grins on their faces .

Suddenly, the sound of agents quickly approaching made them all snap back into reality. "This way if you want to stay dead, idiots!" Skulker snapped before phasing through the wall, the others quickly doing the same.

Blasting whatever agents came close, the ghosts quickly flew down the halls, never stopping, never looking back. Finally, they broke through to the outside, the alarms still blaring loudly as agents poured outside, firing large blasts at the escaping prisoners.

But it wasn't enough. The ghosts quickly phased into the ground or flew above the clouds, disappearing from sight. Danny flew into the sky, casting one last glance at the facility before turning back towards the bright night sky, the moon shining brightly overhead.

Danny squinted his eyes as they met the moon's bright light for the first time in forever, only to slowly adjust, staring into it's bright depths for a moment of peace, something he hadn't felt in months. As the boy stared out at the open sky around him, he knew he should feel something. He should feel happy for his freedom. Anger at the agents. Sadness for Jones. But he didn't. He didn't feel any of those things.

In fact, he didn't feel anything at all.

Casting a small glance at the sky around him, he merely picked a direction and flew straight, not really knowing what to do now, other than fly.

Fly . . . . and try to forget.

. . . . . .

"I've been trying for years, and I still can't forget. I can't forget those experiments, Jones, those photos. I . . . I'll never forget it. No matter how hard I try, I'll never forget."

The two sat in silence for a moment, Danny never lifting his head off the man's shoulder as Bruce continued to stroke the teen's hair reassuringly. Finally, the man turned to the teen in his arms. "I know what it's like to want to forget something. To remember something so painful it feels like it will always weigh you down." The man sighed, feeling Danny curl up tighter into his arms.

"But I know from experience, Danny, that you don't have to let these memories stop you. You don't have to let them control your life. You can make something better out of them. You can choose to _be_ better than them. You can choose to prove them wrong." He said softly, placing his hand on Danny's chin as he lifted the teen's tear-stained gaze to meet his.

"And I promise you that I'll be right there. You never have to be alone again. You never have to face these things alone _ever_ again." He said strongly, watching as a small smile formed on the teen's face, small tears sliding down his cheeks.

"T-thank you." He cried softly, wrapping his thin arms around the man, who quickly returned the gesture.

After a moment, the teen's tears finally stopped flowing as he rested his head back onto the man's shoulder, gazing out at the distant stars shown through the window next to the bed. The two stared out at the shining stars for a moment of silence before Danny smirked, keeping his gaze trailed on the window.

"So . . . . Bruce Wayne, huh?

"Yep."

" . . . . . . . . I knew it."

* * *

 **This was a long-ass chapter! You vultures better be grateful! XD**

 **Any other unanswered questions will probably be answered in the next chapter, but don't expect it to be out tomorrow. I've been on spring break this week which is why I was able to get so many chapters out. But starting next week I have to go back to school So chapters won't come out as quickly as they have been.**

 **Don't worry the usual routine of one chapter per week should fall back into place.**

 **Thanks to these people for favoriting and/or following: _Nocturnal Dreams, PeridotGreenHeart, rockruff, Slenderbrine; Twilight's-Shadow, PhantomStar01_**

 **Reviews:**

 **wiswguy2415: Yeah, the GIW do kind of suck.**

 **YouCanOnlyPretend: Yeah, I'm really sorry about all those cliffhangers. But hopefully this puts your troubled mind to ease!**

 **seantriana: *unrolls burrito* Calm your beans! I have your chapter XD**

 **InkMelody: I know! I know! I SUCK! Oh well. My friends already know this.**

 **6BlueSweaters: Do we need defibrillators?! No? Okay good, I have no idea where they are. Oh god don't bring that up. I hate that scene! It's too sad and epic! And actually I wasn't really thinking about it, but it really _does_ seem like that. **

**Zatannagurl: Thank you! I love this crossover and it makes me sad there aren't many in this category**

 **Tsukiko K: Yeah , it kind of does make you sound a bit crazy**

 **Darkverger1: Yeah, just the perks of Spring Break I guess. Just imagine when summer hits! Though I doubt this story will still be going by then . . . . unless . . . . . are you thinking what I'm thinking . . .?**


	16. Chapter 16: Under My Wing

**Chapter 16: Under My Wing**

"Are you kidding me? Are you frikkin' kidding me?!"

Bruce sighed as Clark paced back and forth, the others looking equally pissed around him. He had recently finished explaining everything he had learned to the others, who had returned to the Watchtower soon after Danny fell back asleep.

Safe to say, they were fucking _pissed_.

Diana sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "So . . . what do you propose we do?"

"What do we _do?_ I'll tell you what we do! We go down their, pluck up one of those agents and shake them until they tell us where their base is so we can go trash the place!" John growled up, turning towards the others.

Bruce shook his head. "We don't know enough about them to just rush in blind. Besides, we don't know if they only have one base. They could have dozens scattered, which means taking one down would be meaningless."

" _Meaningless . ._ ha! It'd sure make me feel a lot better." Shayera snapped.

J'onn turned to the others. "Well we must do something. They have been after Danny for six years. I do not believe they will be willing to just _give up._ " The martian explained.

"And what about this _Jack_ guy?" Wally asked. "I don't know about you guys, but I'd sure like to go down there and give him more than just a piece of my mind." He growled out, folding his arms across his chest.

"Trust me, if I could, I would. But he went off the radar years ago." Bruce muttered.

Diana let out a tired sigh and walked into the medical wing, the others slowly followed. She stepped over towards the sleeping teen, running her fingers lightly over a faded scar on the boy's cheek. "Bruce . . . . . how is he still alive?" She asked, eyes never leaving the child's face. "How can someone survive all of that?"

Bruce let out a tired sigh of his own before walking over as well, resting a gentle hand on the boy's head. "I don't know. I can't begin to imagine everything he saw in there."

"How long was he there?" Clark asked.

"A year and a half. He was taken when he was seven." Bruce explained.

The mixed reaction in the room varied between horror, pity, anger, disgust and homicidal thoughts.

Wally shook his head, his gaze tracked on the ground before lifting it back up towards the others. "We can't let them get their hands on him again." He said firmly. "I don't care what they do, what they say, or what they threaten. I refuse to let them hurt him again." The man snarled, the others slightly startled at his firm words, never expecting such a strong reaction from the speedster.

"Believe me, I don't intend to." Bruce growled out, hand clenched in anger at his sides, the others quickly voicing their agreements.

Suddenly, Danny's eyes snapped open as the teen quickly sat up in the bed, chest heaving painfully as he whipped his wild gaze around, trying to quickly figure out where he was and who the people were around him. The swift movement startled the others in the room, minus Bruce who quickly tried to calm the panicking teen.

Finally, Danny felt his breathing begin to slow once more, Bruce softly rubbing the boy's back as he tried to get him to calm down. Danny let out a soft sigh as he slowly opened his eyes once more, casting the others in the room a small glance, chuckling softly as he noticed their startled faces.

"What's the matter. You all look like you just saw a ghost." He said softly, leaning tiredly against Bruce's shoulder.

Shayera cleared her throat before turning back towards the teen. "Umm . . it's good to see you awake."

The teen shrugged his shoulders, not really saying anything for a moment before he lifted his head, his fingers intertwining with the sheets nervously. "Listen, I um . . . I'm sure by now you know about . . . . . well, you know. Anyway . . . . I . . . . . I understand if . . if you guys don't want to help me." He said softly, gaze staying focused on the covers around him.

Clark glanced at the others for a moment before slowly walking over, crouching down in front of the teen. "Hey . ." He called softly, the boy slowly lifting his gaze. "I know you must be scared. Truth is . . . I would be too. So would the rest of us. But you don't have to worry about it anymore." The man said with a small smile, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. "We'll do whatever we can to help you."

Danny glanced up, watching as the others slowly moved towards the bed, reassuring smiles on their faces.

The teen let out a soft snort. "I guess you dorks are useful for something."

Bruce smirked beside him, rubbing his shoulder with a smile. "Why do you think I keep them around?"

The others rolled their eyes, quickly beginning to understand how the two got along so well. The Leaguers slowly began to make their way out the door, only for Danny to latch onto Bruce's arm, gazing at him with slight worry in his ice-blue eyes.

The man rested a hand on the boy's head, running his hand through his raven hair. "I'll be right back. Try to get some more rest." He murmured quietly, Danny hesitating for a moment before nodding, rolling on his side as he rested his head back onto the pillow, mindful of his injuries.

Diana and Clark waited for him outside as the man closed the door behind him. "What are you going to do now?" The Amazonian asked.

Bruce let out a sigh and rubbed the side of his neck, shaking his head slightly. "Well I know one thing. I am _not_ letting him go back to that basement of his." He growled out, anger still coursing through him as his thoughts drifted back to the room the boy had been reduced to sleeping in.

Clark nodded. "So . . . where's he going to go? Something tells me keeping a teen that's as stubborn as you confined to the Watchtower might not be good for him . . . . or _anybody_ else involved." The man groaned, imagining what might happen if, God forbid, the teen got _bored_ in the high tech tower with plenty of things to mess with.

Bruce furrowed his brow in a moment of hesitation before turning back to the others. "I'm taking him with me. Back to the manor."

The two heroes exchanged glances with each other before turning back to the man. "Are you sure, Bruce? I mean, judging from what you've told us, he's not one to stay in one place for very long. What's to stop him from just leaving?" Diana asked.

Bruce shook his head. "He came to us for a reason. He came because he needed our help, and he was willing to risk his own life to do it." He explained. "I don't think even _he_ will try and run from this anymore." He stated.

Clark took a small step forward. "And what about when this is all over? What will he do?"

Diana nodded. "He can't exactly go back home. He doesn't even know where that is anymore." She stressed.

Bruce gazed down at the floor in thought before turning back up. "We'll just have to cross that bridge when we get to it." He sighed before walking back into the room, leaving the two alone in the hallway.

Diana watched the door close before turning to the man beside her.

" _Another_ kid with black hair and blue eyes?"

"Yep"

"Think he'll be any less crazier than the others?"

"Nope"

Bruce walked over to the bed, lightly brushing the small strands of hair out of the teen's face, Danny's eyes slowly fluttering open once more.

"You okay?" The man asked, taking a seat on the bed next to him.

Danny shrugged. "I guess. I mean, it could be worse, right? I could be in a _different_ high-tech room with _different_ weirdos, though I doubt those other weirdos have as many problems with clashing colors. Come on, Superman! At least try!" The teen smirked, Bruce rolling his eyes beside him, a small smile filtering onto his face.

Danny let out a small sigh and rested his head against the man's shoulder. "So . . . what now?"

Bruce glanced at the teen for a moment before standing up from the bed, extending a hand towards the teen.

"Now . . . we go home."

* * *

The soft screeching of bats flying overhead met Danny's ears as they slowly entered the Batcave. The Dark Knight took quick notice in the fact that the teen next to him seemed very wary of the dark cave, though it shouldn't have surprised him. The only two times he had ever been in the cave hadn't been particularly wonderful moments.

Nevertheless, the teen did feel his curiosity beginning to peak in him as he stared out at the dark cave. He prepared to take a step forward, only to hesitate as he cast a small glance backwards at Batman, who gave him a small nod of reassurance.

Danny nodded his acknowledgment and slowly began to walk around the large cave, head twisting and turning as he tried to take in the different sights around the cave.

As the teen began to properly explore, Batman removed his cowl and walked over to the computer, calling Alfred down to the cave as he began to type in a few new files into the computer, the desire to store all the information he had just received incredibly high on his list.

 _"You know, I don't know many billionaire playboys, but I'm going to guess most of them would prefer like . . . a yacht or a jet or something."_ Danny called from deep inside one of the side caves.

"I have a jet." Bruce countered, eyes never leaving the screen in front of him as he heard Danny snort.

" _I mean jets that don't frighten small children . . . . and the occasional idiot with a half-ass plan and a baseball bat."_

This time, it was Bruce's turn to snort.

The man's fingers flew across the keys as he continued to document everything he had recently learned, taking note in the occasional rustle here and thump there as Danny continued to explore the depths of the dark cave.

Every once in awhile, a shout of shock would resound through the cave as Danny continued to realize just what it meant to be a _billionaire_. It still amazed the Dark Knight how the boy could continue to find new things to shout about after at least an hour of exploring.

"You have a _frikkin_ dinosaur?!"

"How the heck have you not noticed that yet? It's like the biggest thing in here, you Twitlet?!" Bruce shouted back, Danny huffing from . . . . somewhere. Honestly, the man had lost track of him after a while.

Finally, the teen returned to Bruce's side, his face flushed and breathless. At the small glance thrown at him by the billionaire, the boy huffed indignantly. "You try exploring an endless pool of privilege with a broken arm and three broken ribs!"

Bruce rolled his eyes at the teen's statement, watching as he flopped down on the floor next to his chair, resting the back of his head on the man's knees as he closed his eyes, letting out a small sigh of relief.

The billionaire blinked as a stray thought drifted into his mind. "You know, you never explained what this does."

Danny lifted his head, watching as Bruce pulled out the metallic silver armband from back in the warehouse. The teen let out a snort, easily catching the object as Bruce tossed it to him. "I made this thing a couple years ago, though it's just a prototype." He explained.

"It's designed to keep me in my ghost form whenever I fall asleep or pass out. Really came in handy around you and the Leaguers." He said with a smirk. Bruce rolled his eyes as Danny shut his eyes once more in content.

"Evening, sir."

Danny quickly whipped around, watching as the Bat-Butler - as he called him - quietly descended the stairs. Bruce watched as the teen quickly tensed up, leaning closer to the man. He placed a reassuring hand on the teen's shoulder as the older man approached.

The butler blinked in surprise as he noticed the same _"guest"_ from before and the fact that Bruce's cowl was down.

The man gave a small nod of reassurance. "It's alright, Alfred. He knows."

The butler - Alfred - cleared his throat before straightening out once more. "Very good, sir." He said curtly, casting the teen another glance. "Might I ask the reason for our guest's visit?"

"This is Danny. Danny, Alfred." Bruce introduced, motioning to each figure as he stated their name before turning back to Alfred. "He's going to be staying with us for a while."

"I am?"

Danny turned towards the man with a confused glance, watching with shocked eyes as Bruce nodded his head. "If you want to, that is." He said softly. Though he offered the option of leaving, Bruce doubted he would actually let the kid leave. "Unless you'd rather return to your humble rat-shack . . . ."

The teen rolled his eyes before casting a glance around the large cave walls surrounding him. "Is there an upstairs to this place?"

Bruce smirked. "Yes." He said in a mocking tone.

Danny cast him a half-hearted glare before blinking at the cave once more. " _With_ running water?"

"I _do_ believe we can afford it." Alfred stated calmly, Bruce scoffing at the statement.

The teen shrugged his shoulders. "You'd be surprised how many places there are where that's a valid question." He explained, the two men casting each other a small glance before turning back to the boy, whose eyes were flickering back and forth along the ground in thought.

Finally, the teen lifted his gaze, shoving his good hand into his pocket casually. "Well . . . . it's no Rat-Shack, but I guess it'll do for now." He sighed, the billionaire beside him rolling his eyes as he shook his head.

Alfred gave a small nod. "Very good. Shall I show our new guest to his room?" He asked, only for a loud rumbling to reach all of their ears, followed by a nervous grin from Danny. Alfred cocked a brow before turning towards the boy. "Perhaps the kitchen then?"

Bruce nodded, only to watch as Danny inched closer towards him, eyes staying locked on the butler in front of him as he scooted back slightly. Bruce placed a comforting hand on the teen's tense shoulder. "Danny, it's alright. Alfred's a friend." He spoke softly.

Alfred watched calmly as the boy continued to eye him suspiciously, the man knowing better than to approach the jittery teen, having had _much_ experience with messed-up minors. Finally, Danny gave a small nod, staying close to Bruce for a moment longer before slowly walking over towards the butler.

"Right, then. We'll see if we can't get you something to eat." Alfred said with a small smile as he led Danny up the large stone stairs towards the cave exit, the teen giving a small silent nod.

Pushing back the large clock, Alfred stepped aside to let the teen through, watching with a small smile as the boy's eyes widened at first glimpse of the manor. "Holy Piss Waffles . . . . how much money does he have?" Danny gaped.

"Well, the term _billionaire_ was coined for a reason."

The teen snorted at the response as he fell into line behind the older man.

As they walked, Alfred took notice in the fact that the boy behind him walked in complete silence, almost as if he wanted to give no indication he was even there in the first place. Stealing a glance behind him, the gentleman watched as the boy kept his head down and his steps precise and purposeful . . . almost as if he had been trained to walk that way: quickly and quietly.

Though, the man did notice the boy's eyes drift up when they passed the study. Bright blue eyes fell upon the large portrait of the Wayne family that stood tall over the mantel. He stared at the small family depicted in the painting before quickly falling back into line, murmuring a small apology, which only sparked more confusion in the older male.

Nevertheless, Alfred stayed silent as they entered the kitchen, Danny's eyes going wide once more. "Seriously? Who the heck needs this much pantry space?" The teen muttered. "This entire kitchen is like three times the size of my . . . . _apartment_." The teen stated.

Motioning for the boy to take a seat, Alfred moved over to the pantry and pulled out a few items. Disregarding the ungodly hour of 2:34 a.m., the butler quickly set to work.

Danny watched with curiosity and a sense of confusion as the man began to work, cracking an egg into a skillet before turning back and slicing off two thin strips of bread from a large loaf. After a few moments, a large sandwich consisting of lettuce, grilled tomatoes, avocado and egg sat on a plate in front of him, along with a side of chips and glass of water.

"Normally, I would refrain from the chips, but something tells me you don't need to worry about that too much." Alfred said as he took a seat in front of the teen, having already noted the teen's thin frame, vowing to do something about it.

Though, the expected reaction of the boy tearing into the meal never came as the boy merely stared at the plate in front of him before turning back up to the man, who gave him a strange look.

Danny cocked his head in confusion. "Umm . . . isn't this for you?" He asked.

It was Alfred's turn to look confused this time.

"Why would you think that?"

Danny shrugged. "I mean, why go through all that work for me? You literally just met me like, five minutes ago. And . . . . and you barely even know anything about me."

Though it was a valid question for Danny, Alfred found himself genuinely shocked. What did he teen expect him to do? _Slap him?_

"Well . . . knowledge or no, it seemed like you needed it." The man stated, pushing the plate closer to the teen.

Danny hesitated for a moment before reaching out, grabbing hold of the sandwich. As he ate, Alfred noticed the boy kept his eyes glued to the table, never bringing them up to meet with the butler's. Still, he kept quiet. Finally, when the boy visibly tensed as the butler grabbed the empty plate had he finally had enough.

"I don't bite, you know." He said with a small smile as he placed the dish into the sink.

Danny bit the inside of his cheek. "Sorry . . ." He murmured.

Alfred set the dished down and walked over, pulling his chair closer, watching as Danny tensed once more. "Young man, I don't know what's happened in the past . . . I'm sure it's something I'll learn sooner or later . . . but whatever it is is exactly that. The past." He explained.

"And I don't know what kind of people made you doubt that human beings are supposed to treat each other with civility but you must forget it, alright? Because that is exactly what you are, a human being. You might deny it. Others may deny it. But you are. And I _certainly_ won't treat you otherwise. _Nobody_ should treat you otherwise, understand?"

Danny blinked in surprise at the man's words before a small smile crept onto his face, nodding his head softly. "Thanks . . . ."

"My pleasure, Master Danny."

The teen snorted at the name before lifting his head. "You know, just Danny is oka-"

"You can suggest what you want, but while you are a guest in this house, you will be addressed as Master Danny. And you may disapprove and try to correct, but I warn you now; this is a war I have had much practice in, for you are not the only teen to disapprove of the name, and you certainly won't be the last."

Danny felt a smirk form on his face before blinking in mild surprise. "only teen - as in there's more than one?"

"Many more, but I'm sure that's a story for another day." The butler chimed.

Danny hummed in thought for a moment, only to turn his head as a soft huffing sounded from the hall. His eyes widened as a black Great Dane turned the corner and stalked into the kitchen, large head turning towards the newcomer.

Alfred watched in shock as Danny fell from his chair, instantly leaping up. The teen's eyes stayed locked onto the dog as he stepped backwards. "Y-you have a d-dog?" He asked, a slight quiver in his voice.

The butler raised a brow and nodded slowly. "Yesss . . . . Is that a problem?"

Danny let out a small moan of thought, making sure to keep the same distance between himself and the dog as the canine walked over to his water bowl. "It's j-just . . . I haven't r-really had good experiences w-with . . . dogs in the past." He murmured. Granted the present canine didn't wear a marked vest or work under the hands of monsters in suits, it still made his muscles tense.

"Well . . . I can assure you Ace won't give you such problems." Alfred said calmly, eyes flickering between the two figures.

The Great Dane - Ace - lifted his muzzle once more, large brown eyes landing on the teen whose back was pressed into the far wall. He blinked at him for a moment before walking forward.

Danny stuttered something, trying and failing to voice his thoughts. Nevertheless, the dog continued to slowly walk forward until he was only a few paces from the boy. Danny's eyes filtered over to Alfred for a moment before leaping back to the dog.

He let out a nervous chuckle as he raised a shaky hand. "Uhh . . . nice demon doggy?" He said hesitantly.

Ace stared at the outstretched hand for a moment before reaching his nose out, pressing the wet surface into the teen's shaky palm. Danny blinked in shock as the dog sat down in front of him, licking his wrist.

The teen let out a soft chuckle of surprise as he slowly knelt down - noticing how big the dog actually was - and ran a hand over the canine's sleek black fur. "Well . . . I guess it could be worse . . . guess you could be a police dog on duty." He said with a small smirk before turning back to a confused Alfred.

"Those things get so pissy when you punch their partners." He grinned, the Englishman shaking his head as he began to understand all those headaches Bruce currently returned home with.

"Well . . . I believe I should show you to your temporary soon." The man stated, rising from his seat. Danny rose to his feet as well and slowly followed the man out of the kitchen, a small smile forming on his face as he watched Ace begin to trot next to him.

After a few moments of climbing stairs, passing empty rooms, and constant mumbles of how ' _I'll definitely get lost in this castle'_ they approached a large white door.

Twisting the knob, the butler stepped aside to allow the teen a full view of the room.

Inside, a large bed sat pressed against the wall, a large window adjacent to the comforter, revealing a full view of Gotham and the lights as they bounced off the surrounding waters. Across the room, a large dresser sat beside a door, which one could only assume led to a full-sized bathroom.

Danny spun around slowly as his eyes traveled across the entire room. "Rich people . . . " He muttered. "Who knew?"

Alfred rolled his eyes before turning back towards the door, noting how Ace made no move to follow him out. "I'll leave you to get settled then." The man stated before shutting the door.

Danny glanced at the now shut door before turning back down towards the dog, who gazed back at him.

"What'd you say your name was again?"

* * *

Bruce sighed as he rubbed his tired eyes. Logging in files had taken much longer than he had anticipated. Only now had he actually been able to get up to his room and change back into his actual clothes.

Contrary to popular belief, heavily armored Kevlar wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world.

It was now almost 5 a.m. and the man was pretty sure he would just call in sick today. After everything that had gone down in the last couple days, corporate budget meetings didn't really sound pleasurable, not that they ever did.

Trudging slowly down the long hallway, the man stopped at a particular white door. The silence that followed his knock made him hesitate for a moment before he slowly turned the doorknob and pushed the wooden door open.

Peering into the dark room, the warm light from the hallway seeped in, casting a beam of light atop the bed, highlighting its emptiness.

The man furrowed his brow as he stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. "Danny?" He called softly, walking over to the bed. The sheets were ruffled and wrinkled, almost as if someone had been violently struggling in them.

For a brief moment, a shot of panic coursed through Bruce's veins at the thought that maybe the teen had been taken. But it was quickly pushed down for the fact that almost _nobody_ could break into the manor nowadays without tripping _some_ sort of alarm.

His kids were _very_ creative.

Finally, as he walked deeper into the large room, he noticed a small shape underneath the far table, sitting upright with a large black figure laying next to him.

The man said nothing as he slowly walked closer.

Danny sat underneath the large table, a blanket wrapped around himself as a pillow lay unused at his feet. Ace lay next to him, his large head resting in his lap. The teen's bright blue eyes stayed locked on the window in front of him, watching the blinking lights of the city silently.

Danny made no motion to signify he knew Bruce was there as the man slowly took a seat next to him. Silence lingering in the air as the two sat, save for the occasional snores that would escape the Great Dane.

"Something wrong with the bed?" Bruce finally asked.

Danny shrugged, keeping his gaze locked on the window. "Made me feel like I was being eaten by a cotton candy monster who was trying to turn me into a cotton candy minion." He said nonchalantly.

 _Where the hell does he get this stuff?_

Bruce glanced at the blanket and pillow that lay at the teen's feet. "And this . . ." HE asked.

Danny ran his fingers across the soft fabric of the blanket. "It feels . . . familiar. I used to sleep under these sorts of things all the time." He sighed. "Though I have to admit, the other ones never had as good of a view."

Bruce smiled softly. "Yeah, I've always loved it."

Danny gave a smile of his own, one that slowly disappeared as his eyes drifted back over to the city, remembering what it really hid inside. Bruce quickly took notice of the teen's change in demeanor as he placed a hand on the teen's shoulder. "Danny . . . . you're safe here. They can't get you."

Though the words sounded sincere, Danny couldn't help but doubt them. "I've thought that about a lot of places . . . . about a lot of people." He whispered, eyes trailing the grooves made in the floor below. He opened his mouth to speak once more, only to shut it again.

Bruce noticed the teen trying to say something that refused to be spoken and turned towards him. "What is it?"

Danny hesitated for a moment before pulling his legs closer, wrapping his arms around them as they pressed against his chest.

 _"I'm sorry for bringing you into this."_

Bruce blinked in shock and recoiled slightly at the statement, Danny continuing nonetheless.

"This isn't your problem, Bruce. This isn't anyone's problem other than mine. I-I don't know what I was thinking. I-I th-thought that I could help myself if I could get you and the others on my side." He explained.

"But all I did was drag you guys into something that shouldn't concern you. I was selfish and made this your battle. A _lethal_ battle."

"Danny-"

"No, Bruce! You don't understand! The GIW isn't just some stupid rogue facility. They aren't here to play around! They will _kill_ you, kill the others without even a moment of hesitation if you get in their way! They don't care that you're the good guys! They don't care that they always put innocent civilians in danger whenever they go after me! And they certainly don't care that I'm not even old enough to _drive!_ " He screamed.

"All they care about is that I'm a ghost, and that you're interfering with their work!" He shouted. "They . . . . they won't show mercy . . . to me . . to you . . to anybody."

Ace glanced up and nuzzled his head into the crook of Danny's neck, a soft whimper escaping the canine. Danny shut his eyes tightly, curling his fingers into the blanket around him. "They won't stop. They'll never stop. That . . . . that's why I . . . that's why I'll never be safe . . . and why you'll never be safe while I'm around."

"I . . . . I'm sorry."

Bruce watched as the teen buried his face into his knees, curling himself into a tight ball, almost defensively as if he expected to be lashed. Perhaps that was why the teen looked so surprised when Bruce wrapped an arm around him and pulled him closer.

Nevertheless, the teen didn't fight back. Instead, he merely rested his head on the side of Bruce's shoulder and shut his eyes.

"Danny, listen. I know you're scared. Anybody in their right mind would be scared of these people. I . . . I've read the reports, Danny. I know what they did."

The teen ducked his head closer to the man, small tears springing to the corner of his eyes.

"Nobody should have to know what it was like in there, Danny. You were a kid placed into adult situations . . . and I'm so sorry for that. I'm sorry nobody was able to help you back then." He said softly.

"But that was then. This is now. And I wouldn't care if they had the entire U.S. government backing them up, I'll would still be right by your side. I'm not going anywhere, Danny. And neither are you." The man said firmly.

"And I know for a fact the other Leaguers think the exact same thing." He said, Danny lifting his gaze to meet Bruce's. "We're going to be right by your side, Danny. _I'm not going anywhere."_

Danny stared at the floor for a moment, trying to process everything he had just heard before resting his head on the man's chest, a sigh of relief escaping his lips. "T-thank you." He breathed, Bruce gently running his hand up and down the boy's shoulder comfortingly.

Silence enveloped the two as they sat together quietly . . . . . . . underneath a wooden table . . . . . . at 5:46 in the morning.

Danny blinked open his eyes as a warm ray of sunlight filtered through the window. Outside, the sun was barely beginning to peek out from the horizon, creating an array of golden purples and pinks in the dark blue sky.

"Don't you have to go to work, _Mr. Wayne_?" He asked, plopping his head back onto the man's chest, whose back was now propped up against one of the legs of the table.

Bruce waved his hand dismissively. "They won't explode if I miss one day."

Danny snorted. "That doesn't sound like a very effective strategy? How on Earth will you pay this month's water bill?"

Bruce rolled his eyes. "We'll just have to cut back on some stuff around here, Spooks."

The teen laughed for a moment before stopping, a thought drifting back into his mind from earlier.

"You know . . . . you're butler's pretty awesome . . . . . and also _really_ scary."

Bruce chuckled. "Yeah, all my kids say that."

Danny scrunched up his nose at that and turned his head so that his chin rested on the man's chest instead of his cheek as he gazed up at him. "Yeah, about that . . . just how many kids do you actually have? Haven't really seen a BatWoman around." He said with a cheeky grin.

Bruce rolled his eyes. "And you _won't_ be seeing one anytime soon. They're all adopted." He explained.

Danny furrowed his brow. "Uh-huh . . . . ." He said, unconvinced. "And just how many are there?"

"You'll find out sooner or later?"

"Aww, come on. Can't you just tell me?"

"Where's the fun in that?"

"It's not like an army, is it?"

"What?!"

"Well who knows how many Robins you've had! And if they're _all_ yours . . . . oh, god! Thanksgiving must be a nightmare!"

"It is . . . . but for _separate_ reasons."

"Okay just give me a range! Like . . . a ballpark figure.

"Alright . . . it's definitely _less_ than a ballpark." **(A/N: Kudos for whoever got this reference!)**

"Man, screw you! . . . . . . Can you at least tell me _anything_ about them?"

" . . . . . yeah. They're annoying as hell."

"Aww! I'll fit right in!"

"You bet you will, Spooks."

* * *

The sight that greeted Alfred when he opened the door at 7:26 a.m. was a strange one at that, but it wasn't anything he hadn't seen before.

The large bed to the side was empty, the blankets and pillows missing. Instead, they were all piled underneath the large table that sat farther in the room. Bruce sat with his back propped up against one of the table legs, a large pillow behind his head.

In between his legs lay Danny, the teen flipped on his stomach. His head rested on Bruce's chest while his arms lay sprawled out to the sides, Bruce's hand resting on the boy's back. A large blanket was draped over both, rising and falling along with their rhythmic breathing.

Alfred felt a small smile form on his face as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small camera (one he had carried around ever since Dick appeared), quickly snapping a picture of the pair before quietly closing the door.

For now, he'd let the little family sleep.

As he began to walk down the hall once more, a more depressing thought drifted into his mind. _Great, another opponent for the war of Thanksgiving. I don't know if our dining room can take it_. He thought to himself.

In fact, there was still a bit of gravy stuck to the ceiling from the Food Fight of '08.

* * *

 **God, this damn chapter took so long to write! Stupid school! Stupid AP exams! Anyway, I actually didn't expect this chapter to be so long, but once again, it probably won't disappoint you guys.**

 **Who knows? Maybe someday in the future, I'll create a one-shot of the Food Fight of '08.**

 **Anyway, thanks to these people for favoriting and/or following: _shadowking1701, Kea Ein, MaverickHunter-00, Muncher50, silentfan9, w1lliam, BloodyMoon18, HermitsDisguise, .Jean, ammaho09, creepygirl201, jcotton42, Flightstrike, War WereWolf, mollyreedny, RedReflection, DementedScribbler25, Em Phantom, , BBCDP2, Radioactive Random Rainbow, Leomonta, Pandador, SarahK0583, Wonkie, bleach1990, nervousEnsemble, sparklydog9, 4everjoslyn, Ninyhuju, TorturedGuitar, ZaraDimm, Lk6lu, , Secretrosery122, KingofthePhantomDragon, BakuganShari; rockruff, Clockwork's Apprentice, EUREKA STRIKER ALPHA, Muncher50, slender mane, SHiraCr18, Mwhahahaha18, Death on Raven's Wongs_**

 **Reviews:**

 **Tsukiko k: I WOULD EAT AT FICDONALDS! Though they probably don't sell food. Darn. Danny is fourteen in this story, and you're right. We really do need more crossovers with Danny and the Justice League. It's a crime that there aren't that many. Btw, I think everyone in this story needs cuddles from time to time. **

**Minxiboo: Guess you'll just have to wait and see**

 **YouCanOnlyPretend: Yeah, you damn vultures. Here's some more slop! Yeah, sorry about Equestria's Phantom. I haven't given up on it, but I just haven't had any inspiration for it in a while. And I refuse to write when I don't want to because then my work isn't up to par and I'm not going to do that to the people who take the time to read my stories. Hope you understand. **

**God of the Challenge: Sorry vultures, but you're driving me . . . . batty!. . . . . I'll sit down now. No, actually I will not be sad! You know why! Because whenever I'm sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead! True story! XD (you better get this reference or you will put your profile pic to shame!)**

 **6BlueSweaters: If you thought that was good, wait until you read this chapter! Haha! Sucky time to lose the defiberilators! And you'll just have to wait and see with the Bat-Fam**

 **Zatannagurl: I promise all of your questions will be answered soon, just hold onto your piss waffles!**

 **Legitimate Pipsqueak: Yay! You're back! Yeah, for a serious story like this, the Guys in White doesn't really seem like something that would be taken seriously. Yeah, and poor Danny doesn't know what a comic book is?! I'm evil!**

 **Legitimate Pipsqueak: Damn you write a lot! I love it! And I know I'm evil, but it would be soooo cruel to end it at Chapter 15! I would die, and I'm sue many others would too. That's just Joker levels of evil!**


	17. Chapter 17: Odds and Ends

**(A/N: Oh hey, just a little warning. This chapter is going to be a lot different from my other ones. It'll be like a bunch of different one-shots all mixed into one chapter. Just suck it up and deal with it. PS: this is around a couple weeks later)**

 **Chapter 17: Odds and Ends**

Training

Danny grunted painfully as he hit the rubber mat hard, groaning as he lay there face-down.

"Again."

The teen flipped over onto his back, staring up at the ceiling for a moment before glaring at the man across from him. "I feel like you're having too much fun with this." He growled out before slowly rising to his feet once more.

Instantly, all grogginess was forgotten as he charged once more, leaping into the air before flipping over Bruce's shoulders, landing nimbly on his feet behind him. Rearing his fist back, he swung it forward, only for Bruce to grab onto his wrist and flip him over his back, the teen landing on the ground with a thump.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Bruce replied with a smirk, Danny throwing him another glare.

Even though most of his injuries had completely healed, Bruce still instructed Danny to train with him at least once a day, if only to keep the boy sharp.

The teen quickly flipped back onto his feet, sliding under Bruce's legs before righting himself once more. The man whipped around as the two began to exchange blows, each blocked and countered by the other.

"Shift your weight. Keep yourself balanced." Bruce stated, throwing another punch.

Danny ducked underneath and blocked another with his forearm, quickly correcting himself to the man's command. Finally, Danny leapt into the air and launched himself off of Bruce's shoulders, distancing himself once more.

The man quickly stepped out of a defensive stance, prompting Danny to do the same. "Nice work, Spooks."

Danny felt a smile creep onto his face before it turned into a mischievous grin. "Whoa. Do my ears deceive me? Was that a compliment? Better check yourself, Bruce. Might make people doubt the fact you're an emotionless robot."

He was promptly knocked to the ground as he received a water bottle to the face.

"Owww~!" Danny groaned out. " . . . . . . . child abuse! Hey quick question. All those kids you claim you have . . . . they're all still _alive,_ right? There weren't any . . . . _mysterious_ accidents that occurred while in your care?"

That prompted Bruce to bend down, pick up the bottle and simply dump all its contents onto the teen, who laughed maniacally all the while.

The Raven and the Cyborg

Sam flipped open the laptop screen once more, a large sigh building up in her chest as she saw no new notifications pop up. She growled and pushed the computer away, raising a hand to her face as she rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"Still nothing?"

"Nope." She muttered, turning towards Tucker as the teen entered, a half-eaten Snickers in his hand. "That idiot's still MIA."

The dark-skinned male walked over, sitting down on the ratty couch next to the girl.

"Well . . . I'm sure he's alright. His last message said he was okay and that we shouldn't worry. And that's exactly what I'm doing." He said with a smile as he propped his head against the couch armrest and folded his feet on Sam's lap. " _Not_ worrying."

The goth glared in his direction. "Still . . . . " She sighed, placing a hand to her chin as she stared at the dark computer screen.

Suddenly, a stray thought drifted into her mind as she turned back towards Tucker, the teen still munching on the candy bar in his hand.

"Where did you get that candy bar?"

" . . . . . . . . umm . ."

"Is that _my_ Snickers?!"

" . . . I . . umm . . ."

"That _is_ my Snickers!"

Tucker immediately tumbled off the couch, leaping up to his feet as he raised his hands defensively. "You know . . . you should really label your food." He stuttered nervously.

"I'm the only other fucking person that lives here, Dipshit! Who else's would it be?"

Tucker shrugged his shoulders with a small smirk, which quickly disappeared as Sam took a threatening step forward. "Give . . . it . . . to . . . me." She snarled out.

His gaze flickered from the steaming girl to the chocolate in his hand. Suddenly, he shot his hand upward, stuffing the rest of the candy into his mouth before sprinting out of the room, Sam giving a shout as she gave chase.

Loud crashes and bangs rumbled throughout the entire house, followed by angered shouts mixed with fearful cries. The sound of crunching metal sounded from one of the room, followed by Tucker's screams. "NOOO! Jessica, my baby!" He cried out.

"You're dead meat!

"REVENGE!"

 **. . . .**

Out in the hallway, the doors began to open slowly as people began to step outside.

They glanced at each other for a moment before turning back towards the worn-down door, loud shouts and crashes heard from inside. And was that a _gunshot_?

One older lady growled and walked up to the door, pounding on it loudly. Everybody blinked in shock as the shouts inside seemed to only become louder.

"You sorry son of a bitch! No wonder all your friends are machines!"

'Hey! Leave my babies out of this!"

"Keep your grubby hands off my stuff or your precious _babies_ will be grinding underneath my boots!"

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Try me!"

"Why the hell are you so pissy?! Seriously! Every single month!"

"HEY! That topic's off-limits! You know what else is off limits? MY FOOD!"

 _CRASH!_

"Angela! NOO! You BITCH!"

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!"

"YOU HEARD ME!"

 _BANG!_

 _SMASH!_

The people outside stared back at each other, eyes wide in shock. Finally, one man sighed and rubbed his face. "I'll go call the cops again." He said tiredly, the other muttering and grumbling as they trudged back into their apartments, each wondering when the troublesome teens would finally be evicted.

Stray Specter

Danny sat quietly in the backyard, occasionally flipping to a new page in the book he was currently reading. A few weeks after arriving in the manor, he had immediately found himself bored, considering he was mainly confined to inside the house.

Bruce quickly found a solution to this problem in the form of books.

Safe to say, Bruce was not to happy with the fact that Danny only had a third-grade education. Thankfully, the teen was self-taught in pretty much everything, reading and writing abilities nearly as skilled as any other person, and highly intelligent in the field of science and math, years of inventing crazy weapons and doohickeys helping there.

Still, Bruce encouraged the boy to read whenever he had free time, something Danny surprisingly never objected to. Seeing as how the boy grew up with a limited supply of reading material, he always jumped at the prospect of it.

He was currently flipping through a copy of Dracula (Ha . . . the irony), Ace lying comfortably on the grass next to him.

Suddenly, the canine quickly lifted his head, a deep guttural growl escaping him as the dog leapt to his feet. Danny quickly lifted his gaze from the book and set it down, rising to his feet as he placed a hand on the dog's head.

"What is it, boy?" He asked, quickly scanning the yard.

Danny watched as Ace quickly leapt forward, disappearing into the forest behind the manor.

The teen blinked in surprise before letting out a sigh, mumbling under his breath how he missed the days where he hated dogs as he followed the canine into the shrubs. He quickly picked up the pace as a loud bark met his ears.

Finally, tumbling out of another bush, newly acquired thorns sticking out of his clothes and hair, the boy glanced up.

"You gotta be frikkin kidding me!"

In front of him stood Ace, the dog growling up at the large figure in front of both of them. And what a figure it was. It was a large green dog with glowing red eyes, towering over the pair as it stood a staggering six feet tall.

The green beast stared down at the pair, growling deeply as it's tail flailed back and forth behind him. Danny hesitated for a moment before slowly pushing himself off of the ground, gently pushing Ace out of the way, the dog whining at him in protest.

The green dog snarled at him as he moved, but Danny continued anyway, keeping one glowing hand behind his back just for precaution. Slowly, he lifted his hand into the air, the large dog staring at the outstretched limb warily.

Seeing as how the dog made no move to _eat_ his hand, Danny took that as a good step forward as he gently placed his hand underneath the large dog;s neck and began to scratch the canine's chin.

The large dog instantly lost all hostility as his tail began to wag happily and his tongue fell out of his mouth. Suddenly, the dog began to shrink down until the large monster was replaced with a small green puppy, one Danny recognized immediately.

"It's you?!" The boy gasped incredulously.

The puppy barked happily before leaping into Danny's arms, the boy staring down at the pup before turning to Ace, who gave him a strange look as well.

He had met the puppy years ago when he was a kid. In fact, it was one of the first ghosts he had ever met. But why it was here, he had no clue.

Danny glanced at the dog's collar.

Still no name.

He furrowed his brow in thought for a moment before a large smirk formed on his face. "Hey, Ace!" He called. "Let's go freak out Bruce!" He called before running through the shrubs once more, a loud shout of pain filtering to the Great Dane's ears, making him shake his large head before slowly following.

Bruce and Alfred quickly glanced up from their conversation as Danny ran into the room, large grin on his face.

 _Uh-oh._

The teen quickly held out the puppy, whose feet were now dangling in the air as the kid held him. "Look, look, look!" Danny grinned.

The two older men blinked in shock as they stared at the _glowing_ green dog in the boy's hands. "What is that thing?" Bruce finally asked.

Danny rolled his eyes. "It's a goldfish. Duh! What do you think it is?"

That earned him a slap upside the head, to which he responded with an indignant gruff.

"I know what it is, Twitlet. I mean what _is_ it?" Bruce reiterated.

"It's a ghost. I met him when I was a _kid."_ Danny explained, stressing the last word, hoping for the man to understand what he was talking about without having to actually say it.

Bruce blinked for a moment before nodding softly, quickly understanding. The man groaned as Danny shoved the dog closer into his face, the pup licking his cheek. Pulling it away, Danny replaced the puppy's adorable face with his own, leaning closer to the man, eyes wide.

"Can we keep him?"

Alfred and Bruce quickly exchanged a glance.

"Ummmm . . . . . ."

 **. . . . .**

Bruce sighed and rubbed his eyes as he watched Ace laying tiredly on the floor, Cujo leaping around him as he tried to get the large dog up so he could play with him. Nevertheless, the Great Dane simply continued to push him away.

The large dog lifted his head and cast his master a pleading look, only for Danny to bounce forward, wrapping his arms around Bruce's neck. The billionaire cast Ace a knowing look, the two quickly understand each other's pain.

"Can't believe I let you keep that thing."

"It's just cause you _love_ me so much." Danny grinned, resting his chin on the man's shoulder.

"And why the heck are we naming him _Cujo?"_ Bruce asked, turning back towards the teen.

Danny dropped back to the floor and shrugged his shoulders. "Cause it's a cool movie."

"Where on Earth did you even watch it?"

Danny grinned and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "You'd be surprised how many people keep their windows open and the volume up when they watch TV at night." The teen replied nonchalantly before walking away.

Bruce sighed and shut his eyes, silently asking why he always seemed to attract the crazy ones.

Those _Other_ Idiots

Danny shut his eyes as his hair brushed against his cheeks, the swaying motion quickly letting a sense of calm wash over him.

He sighed in content and let the soft breeze wrap around him, blowing the dark black hair across his face. The soft chimes and clinks reached his ears as he swayed, but he didn't really care at the moment. He was just relishing in the peace.

"DANNY?!"

The teen sighed and opened his eyes, glancing down at Bruce as the man stared up at him with a shocked face. To be honest, Danny was surprised he could still shock the man at all. "Yeah . . .?" He called nonchalantly.

"What the heck are you doing?!"

Danny glanced up for a moment before turning back down towards the man.

"Hanging from the chandelier."

Bruce opened his mouth to scream something else before snapping his mouth shut, fingers twitching by his sides as he instantly tried to calm down. Finally, he craned his head back up to stare at Danny and . . . was his eye twitching? . . . Oh well!

" _Why_ are you hanging from the chandelier?" The man asked in a strained voice.

"Cause I'm _bored!"_ The teen whined loudly.

Bruce raised a brow and turned back up to him, once again beginning the battle of trying to resist face-palming while talking to Danny "Why don't you just read a book?"

"Cause my eyes hurt!"

The battle was quickly lost as Bruce's palm slapped against his forehead.

"Isn't there _anything_ around here I can do?" Danny asked. His pleading eyes quickly morphed into excitement as he turned back to Bruce. "Ooo! Can I play with the Batmobile?"

Bruce sighed. "No. I don't need another hole in there." He growled out.

Danny pouted from his position in the air and folded his arms, which made him look ridiculous considering his upside-down position made his hair swing loosely in the air. "One time! That happened one time!" He shouted.

Bruce rolled his eyes, only to turn as Alfred entered the room. "Sir, we have some visitors."

Danny perked up at this.

Bruce, however, seemed less than thrilled. "I swear, if it's those idiots, I'm going to pummel them all and run Dick over with the Batmobile." He muttered under his breath.

"What was that?!"

"Nothing! Now come down from there before you make any more holes in my house. At this rate, I really am going to be broke." The man sighed as he walked out of the room.

Danny shrugged his shoulders and pulled himself up, grabbing one arm of the chandelier as he swung back and forth, leaping off before nimbly landing on the floor. Quickly dusting himself off, he followed Bruce to the door.

The billionaire gently pushed Danny behind himself, knowing fully well Danny's existence was not to be known by anyone. Nodding to Alfred, the butler reached for the door and pulled it open, the sight outside causing Bruce to raise a brow.

 _Well . . . it was still a bunch of idiots . . . just not the ones he had been expecting._

Danny peeked out from behind Bruce, watching as six people entered the mansion. Two were women, one being a black-haired lady with toned muscles and a warm smile adorning her face while the other had copper hair with light brown wings behind her back. The other four were male, including a man with black hair and glasses, a redhead with a large grin and freckles, a dark-skinned man with a bright green ring on his finger, and a tan-skinned man with short brown hair and a long brown overcoat.

The three fingers Danny instantly recognized made him want to jump out from behind Bruce, but the other three made him grip Bruce's forearm tighter in apprehension.

He blinked in surprise as Bruce stepped aside, the others quickly turning towards him. He quickly ran over to the people he recognized: Diana, Shayera and John, while making sure to keep a good enough distance from the other three.

"Hey, Casper! How've you been?" Shayera asked as she ruffled the kid's hair.

Danny grinned as he glanced at them. "Can't really complain. Though the company's pretty lousy." He smirked, Bruce flicking him in the side of the head, causing the boy to laugh.

The teen quickly ceased as he turned back to the other three. "Alright, it's pretty easy to tell who you three are . . . but who the hell are you three?"

Bruce snorted and rolled his eyes.

The redhead grinned and zoomed over faster than humanly possible. "That answer your question, Casper?" He asked, pushing the teen's hair into his face, Danny swatting his hand away with a smirk. "Alright then . . . . so what do I call you?"

The man rolled his eyes. "You can call me the Wallster! . . . . though most just call me Wally."

Turning back up, the teen watched as the man with glasses walked forward and removed the frames.

Danny slammed his palm into his face. "How did I not notice that?" He grumbled.

Clark grinned. "Don't worry, kid. Happens to everyone." He glanced towards Bruce, who raised a brow. "Well . . . almost everyone. But you can just call me Clark."

Danny nodded before turning back to the last man, who resembled nobody he knew. Suddenly, the man's form began to waver until J'onn stood before him. Danny blinked in shock for a moment before folding his arms.

"Well that's cheating." He grumbled, the others chuckling around him.

Pool Party

"So . . . . why are you keeping that thing?" Clark asked, the others turning towards the billionaire as well.

Bruce sighed and rubbed his face. "I have no idea. This kid . . . "

They all turned and watched as Danny continued to run from the green puppy, the dog continuing to tackle the boy to the ground. Occasionally, the boy would call to Ace for help, the older dog merely staring at the boy with a dry expression.

" . . . this kid's gonna kill me." Bruce finally finished.

The disguised Leaguers were currently standing on the patio, watching as Danny wrestled with Cujo on the other side of the pool, spraying mud and dirt into the air.

"Boy, you sure know how to pick 'em, huh, Bruce?" Wally asked, placing an arm around the man's shoulder.

Bruce glared at the man. "I _will_ push you into this pool." He growled out, Wally quickly stepping away.

"Bruce . . . is he doing alright?" Diana asked, turning towards the man.

The man stared at the scene playing out in front of him as he thought. "He's . . . . he's better. I've been keeping his mind off of it all, so that helps." He explained.

J'onn nodded. "I _have_ sensed something different about him since the first time we met. He is more . . . relaxed, trusting. And for once, he seems to act like a child of his age should."

Clark smiled and placed a hand on Bruce's shoulder. "You know that's all you, right."

Bruce said nothing, watching as Danny quickly rose to his feet, brushing the dirt off of him as he began to approach, Cujo right on his heels.

"I guess it's a good thing you live somewhere with running water now, huh?" The billionaire smirked.

Danny glanced down, noticing the dirt that was now smeared across his shirt and pants as well as in his hair. The teen shrugged his shoulders before his gaze fell on the clean pool water next to them, a mischievous glint shining in his eyes.

"Hey, Clark?" He called. "Kryptonians can't breath underwater . . . . can they?" He asked.

Clark furrowed his brow. "Um . . no. Why do you ask?" He said, glancing to the side as he watched Danny slowly begin to walk around him.

"Oh . . . . no reason." Danny said innocently as he shrugged his shoulders. Suddenly, his hands shot forward as he pushed the man forward, Clark quickly tumbling into the water with a shout and a splash.

The others - minus Bruce - stared at the pool in shock before their stunned gazes turned towards Danny, who was laughing wildly.

Wally broke the shocked state first as he began to double over in laughter, clutching his stomach as Clark resurfaced, blinking in shock as he tried to comprehend what had just happened.

"Why?" John asked, though an answer wasn't really needed. After all, it was _Danny_.

The teen shrugged. "Why not?"

If anything, that only made Wally laugh louder, leaning on Bruce for support. "Oh man! Your kid kills me!" He gasped out.

Bruce rolled his eyes before a small smirk appeared on his face. "Yeah . . . and he makes a pretty good point." The man stated before shoving Wally forward, the man shouting in shock before crashing into the water below.

"Why not?"

Danny cackled evilly and transformed into Phantom before anybody could even blink. Flying into the air, he zoomed over to Shayera and pushed her in as well before moving onto Diana, who - in her haste to save herself from her watery doom - reached out and latched onto J'onn, which only ended up with both people in the pool.

The teen leaned against Bruce as he quickly fell into a mad laughing fit. Bruce rolled his eyes as the teen fought for breath. Suddenly, Danny quickly righted himself and flew into the air once more, ramming his shoulder into Bruce's back as he sent the man crashing into the water below.

Apparently he wanted to die twice.

Bruce quickly resurfaced, the others staring at Danny with shocked expressions before turning towards the man, who was glaring intently at the boy.

Danny, however, seemed to take no notice of this as a large grin split his face and he leapt into the air, tucking his knees into his chest as he crashed into the water below, splashing everybody in the water even more than before.

Everybody quickly resurfaced, Bruce blinking for a moment before turning back to Danny, who only had the top half of his head showing, the rest hidden underneath the water. Even so, his devious smirk could be seen though his eyes.

Bruce glared at the teen. "You're so dead."

Danny lifted his head, spewing a mouthful of water at the man's face, who turned away in shock.

"ALREADY HALFWAY THERE!" Danny shouted as he dove back underneath the water, Bruce quickly giving chase as he dove under as well.

The next twenty minutes consisted of Danny trying to escape Bruce's grasp as the two continued to scuffle in the water, large smiles on both of their faces as they did so, and the Leaguers trying to escape their watery confines, Danny dragging them back in whenever they tried.

Alfred walked past the patio door before quickly backtracking. He blinked at the scene in front of him consisting of six grown superpowered adults trying and failing to escape a pool while a snowy-haired teenager and a grown male exchanging blows and insults.

Alfred shook his head as he continued to walk.

"Can't leave this house for a second . . ."

Lumpy Beds

The door creaked slightly as it was slowly pushed open.

The sound only made Danny feel worse as he took a hesitant step into the dark room. This was absolutely ridiculous. _He_ was absolutely ridiculous. People outgrew this at the age of seven. Then again . . . . . seven was a _bit_ of a sucky age for the teen, which his nightmare had painfully reminded him of.

Danny fiddled with his fingers as he slowly shuffled forward.

The window next to the large bed exposed the moon, the bright white light spilling into the room, casting a warm glow on the sleeping figure in the bed, the sheets rising and falling rhythmically.

As he took another step forward, the floorboard creaked underneath Danny's foot, sending the soft sound into the air as well as a few curses from Danny's mouth.

Over the years, Bruce had grown quite accustomed to being woken in the middle of the night. Just something that came with the job, especially when that job involved kids dealing with intense things.

In fact, the soft creak that stray floorboard made was always the sound Bruce's ears had grown accustomed to, the sound they waited for, no matter how deep asleep he was.

They were his alarm system. Whether it was to be ready to comfort a scared child . . . . or simply to avoid getting shot in the head by a burglar. Granted it was always the first one, it paid to stay sharp.

Nevertheless, Bruce opened his eyes and was met with the shape of a thin teenager fiddling with his hands.

The man blearily gave the boy a questioning look, to which Danny shrugged. "Couldn't sleep. My bed is lumpy. You know, for a billionaire, you'd think you could at least afford some higher-quality mattresses." The teen mumbled.

Bruce opened his mouth to say something, only to notice Danny's arms, which were wrapped around himself in a defensive manner, similar to the stances he used to take whenever something really made him upset.

The man hesitated for a moment before sitting up slightly in his bed. "Danny . . . ."He said softly, noticing how the teen tensed slightly. "It's alright."

The boy glanced up at him, blue eyes filled with worry and fear. "It's okay. Other kids of mine have had this problem too." He explained.

"Guess a lot of beds in this house are . . . _lumpy_." The man said softly, winking at the boy.

Danny blinked in surprise for a moment before he smiled, Bruce extending out a hand.

The teen slowly crawled into the bed and rested his cheek on the man's chest, curling up on his side next to him. Bruce grabbed the covers and pulled them over the both of them, wrapping an arm around his Spooky while he ran a hand through the teen's hair, something that always seemed to calm the boy down.

Danny listened to the steady thumping of the man's heartbeat as he closed his eyes, curling himself tighter into the man's grip as the rhythmic thumping and the movement of Bruce's hand running through his hair lulled him to sleep, Bruce quickly succumbing to the same fate.

* * *

 **Rox: This was a lot different from your other chapters**

 **I know. Shut up. It's 10:40 p.m. and I was supposed to be sleeping almost an hour ago**

 **Rox: Seriously? Last night you were up till 1!**

 **I know! Damn school hours!**

 **Oh yeah, guess I haven't really let you guys into my personal, mental battles with myself. Well . . . here you go. Hope you enjoy.**

 **Rox: Of course they're not going to enjoy, Dipshit!**

 **Anway! . . . . I really hope you enjoyed this chapter because I personally loved it. Let me know if you want to see more of this style and I'll see if I can squeeze it in somewhere.**

 **Thanks to these people for favoriting and/or following: _BakuganShari, HerobrinePrime01;_ _Doitsu-Chama, The Voices In Your Head, LuffyLover27_**

 **Reviews:**

 **Fanfic920: Yeah, I pretty much shot myself in the foot with that. Oh well . . . at least it will be a fun chapter.**

 **Drifting Gem: In some versions of the story, Ace is actually the Great Dane. But whatever . . . you do you man.**

 **God of the Challenge: Yep, and we're going to be diving into some heavy shit in the next few chapters! So SUIT UP!**

 **Naluforever3: Nope, sadly I have not died. Pity, because then I could skip my AP exam. Yeah, sorry about those updates, but I don't have a softball tournament for another three weeks so I should be able to post frequently on the weekends. AND ONLY THE WEEKENDS! . . . . . damn vultures . . . . XD  
**

 **6BlueSweaters: Gosh, then that last snippet was icing on the cake for you, wasn't it? PREPARE TO BE DROWNED!**

 **Legitimate Pipsqueak: I can't wait for that either . . . but you'll all have to wait and see where I actually put that interaction. Hehehe. Yeah, sorry for those updates, but at least you got two this weekend. And I really pushed for that. I mean, I'm way past my bedtime just to feed you vultures. ARE YOU HAPPY?! ARE YOU?!**


	18. Chapter 18: Detain and Contain

**Chapter 18: Detain and Contain**

" _Maybe it's up with the stars."_

 _"Maybe it's under the sea."_

 _"Maybe it's not very far."_

Danny crossed one leg over the other as he bobbed his foot along with the beat, folding his arms over his head as he closed his eyes. The iPod sticking out of his pocket gently hummed a soft tone.

Just another perk of living with a billionaire.

 _"Maybe this is how it's supposed to be."  
_

 _"Maybe this is how it's supposed to be."_

The teen glanced down at the watch strapped to his wrist and let out a small sigh. Nighttime was falling over Gotham. Meaning Batman was soon to appear, leaving the teen confined to the manor once more.

 _"Maybe it's trapped in a jar."_

 _"Something we've already seen."_

Danny knew he shouldn't complain. He really had no reason to. Whether he would admit it or not, he actually enjoyed living in the manor. And it wasn't just because of the heating and running water.

 _"Maybe it's nowhere at all. . ."_

 _"Maybe this is how it's supposed to be."_

Every time he asked to step outside the manor, though, he was always met with the same answer. Sure he understood why Bruce did it, any other right-minded person would, but still. He was starting to go crazy . . . . . well, _crazier_.

 _"Looking forward as we rewind . . ."_

 _"Looking back is a trap sometimes . . ."_

The teen's head perked up as he heard the cave door slowly slide open. He watched as Bruce - fully suited minus the cowl - began to walk down the stairs, flipping through a set of papers in his hand.

 _"Being here is so easy to do . . ."_

Glancing up, the man scanned the cave as he searched for the boy he knew was down here. When his eyes finally drifted over to the T-Rex in the corner, he couldn't help the sigh as he noticed the teen lying casually on top.

 _"If you want to~"_

 _"If you want to~"_

 _"If you want to~"_

 _"If you want to~"_

Danny plucked his earbuds out and quickly swung himself into the air, latching onto one of the dinosaur's arms before landing gracefully on the ground next to Bruce as the man continued to walk towards the computer.

The boy quickly fell in line with him as Bruce continued to rummage through the papers, finally placing them onto the computer table before turning towards Danny. "I'll be back late, I'm heading up to the Watchtower."

"Ooo~! Can I come t-"

"No."

"Why not~?" Danny whined.

Bruce rolled his eyes as he flipped up his cowl and began to walk towards the Batmobile, Danny having to jog to keep up considering how fast the man walked. "You know why, Danny."

"I know, I know, I'm a secret. But it's the Watchtower. Totally safe in space. No prying eyes." He stated, quickly leaping in front of the man, bring him to a stop.

He leaned forward, cupping his hands underneath his chin as he gave the man the most pitiful stare he could possibly muster.

"PLEASSEEE~?"

* * *

"Would you quit acting so happy?!" Batman growled, turning his glare toward the teen who bounced next to him.

The white-haired teen grinned as he flew up, wrapping his arms around the man as they continued to make their way down the hallways of the Watchtower. "Don't act like you're not super happy I tagged along." Danny smirked.

"Ecstatic." Batman monotoned as he continued to swiftly walk, Danny clicking his tongue before quickly following.

Entering the Ops Center, the Leaguers were surprised to see the floating specter hovering over Batman's shoulder as he stalked into the room. Last they checked, the teen was still under lockdown.

Nevertheless, Flash quickly zoomed over, capturing the teen in a headlock as he ruffled his hair. "Hey, you brought Casper!" He grinned, Danny quickly trying to escape the hold before realizing he could phase, the speedster quickly falling to the floor as the teen passed through his grasp.

The others rolled their eyes, a few growing grins on their faces as they watched the man tumble to the floor before turning back to Batman, who quickly moved over to the computer.

"Did you crack it?" Superman asked, leaning closer as the Dark Knight began to type a series of commands into the keyboard.

Batman nodded, the conversation quickly catching Danny's attention as he floated closer. "Cracked what?" He asked.

The others shared concerned glances before turning towards Batman, silently realizing he was probably the only one who could explain without sending the teen headfirst into a panic attack.

The man sighed before turning towards Danny.

"We found _them_."

The teen's muscles instantly tensed, his eyes widening as he tried to process what he man had just uttered. "Y-yo-you what?" He stuttered out, subconsciously beginning to rub his forearm, the numbers on his arm shifting slightly with every stroke of his thumb.

Batmen gently placed his hand on the boy's arm, ceasing the movement as he realized the boy was beginning to panic slightly. Danny swallowed the lump that was beginning to form in the back of his throat and glanced back up to the man, giving a small silent signal that he was alright.

Batman nodded in acknowledgement before turning back towards the computer.

"I've been doing some research, seeing what I could dig up on the GIW and their recent activities." He started off. "I was finally able to dig a small something up and learned they're getting large sums of cash transferred to them every three months."

"How large?" GL asked.

"Millions." Batman growled out.

"That would explain how they're able to pay for their equipment and employees. With money like that, you could do virtually anything and still stay under the radar with the proper location." Diana stated.

Batman nodded. "Exactly. The only trouble came with _finding_ that location. They've done an excellent job in covering their tracks." The man explained. Around him, the others listened intently, even Flash, who usually didn't do _anything_ intently. Danny watched from the side, keeping silent as he wrapped his arms around himself, gently rubbing his forearm.

"They leave no traces anymore now that they've disbanded from Cadmus. No paper trail, no witnesses, no leads, nothing." He stated. "Even their field agents are skilled in keeping themselves hidden. There are dozens in Gotham, yet they've all managed to stay off the police radar, barely showing on my own." He explained.

"You sure we can't just go down there and force one to talk?" Shayera asked.

"You can't."

They all turned towards the new voice as Danny shook his head. "These agents are driven by their goal nowadays. They're different from a few years ago. They truly believe in their organization, that they're actually doing the right thing. And they're willing to die for their cause, whether it be at the hands of another or themselves." The teen said quietly.

"Thankfully, it won't come to that." Batman stated, turning back towards the computer.

"A couple weeks ago, I programmed my computer to lock onto large ecto-traces, artificial or organic. Recently, it picked up a big spike in ecto-energy. Really big." He stated.

"You sure Danny didn't just sneeze of something?" Flash asked with a small smirk.

Batman threw him a dark glare and turned back towards the computer, pulling up the map projection. " _Danny_ can't produce ectoranium, Especially not raw ectoranium radiation waves." He growled out.

On the map, a small red dot began to pulse in the central area of the country before the map expanded, pinpointing the state . . . . the county . . . . the town.

Danny let out a loud groan as he read the town where the trace had been located. "Of course . . . ." He muttered, resting his head in his hands, the others - minus Batman - casting him strange glances.

Batman turned towards the others. "Come on. We need to go. The sooner we deal with this, the sooner this is all over." He stated, rising from his chair as he began to make his way towards the large doors, the others quickly following.

Danny suddenly flew in front of them, halting them in their steps. "I'm coming with you."

He was met with a chorus of seven different disagreements and angry shouts of disapproval.

"Not happening." Batman stated firmly.

Danny flew over to him, his eyes cold. "You haven't dealt with the GIW before. I have. You don't know about the monsters they've created, the tricks they implant, the way they think." The teen stated. "Your best bet is with me. I can help you." He stressed.

The others were silent as they pondered what the teen said. "You know, he does have a point. He's the only one here with actual experience." GL stated. "Our best shot is with him."

Danny nodded. "Besides, who's to say they'll even reveal themselves without me present?" He asked. "They might just stay hidden."

"Are you suggesting we use you as bait?" Batman asked angrily, instantly regretting it as Danny visibly flinched.

"I-I'm just saying, if you really want to end this, then I can help you."

The other Leaguers exchanged glances before turning towards Batman, the man standing silent as he mulled over the information in his head. Finally, he let out a long sigh and turned back towards the boy. "You are to stay behind us the entire time. Don't go running into unnecessary danger, got it?" He growled out, Danny quickly nodding.

The others nodded in acknowledgement as they quickly rushed out of the room, quickly heading towards the Javelin Bay.

Batman latched onto Danny's arm before the teen could run out as well, dragging him back. "Alright, now spill. Why are you really coming?"

The teen stared at the ground for a moment before he finally raised his gaze. "A couple months ago, I never would have run towards the GIW, and I _really, really_ don't want to now." He murmured.

"So why are you?"

Danny scuffled his foot against the smooth floor, Batman waiting patiently for the boy to answer in his own time, knowing it wouldn't help to rush him. "I . . . I can't just sit by and do nothing while you guys just leap into danger . . . . . for _me._ " He finally confessed.

Batman furrowed his brow as the teen lowered his gaze and began to fiddle with his fingers. "I . . . if something happened to you . . . b-because of . . of me . . . I . . I-I . ."

"Alright . . . I understand." Batman soothed softly, wiping the stray tear from Danny's cheek. "Just promise me you'll be careful and let us handle things, okay?" The man asked, lifting Danny's chin so the teen's eyes met his own.

Danny sniffled and nodded his head, Batman placing a hand on his shoulder as the two quickly made their way towards the Javelin Bay. As they walked, Danny let out a small sigh of frustration, Batman throwing him a questioning glance, to which Danny responded with:

"OF ALL TOWNS, THEY JUST _HAD_ TO PICK-"

* * *

 **AMITY PARK**

 **-A Nice Place To Live-**

Danny scoffed as he glanced at the words painted onto the _Welcome_ sign, taking notice of the graffiti and _not-so-nice_ words also etched onto the decaying piece of wood. The teen let out a sigh and folded his arms over his chest, resting his back on the seat of the Batwing once more, pressing his forehead against the cold glass as he tried to keep calm.

Batman glanced over at the teen, regretting the decision of allowing the teen to come. Though, the man had a sneaking suspicion the teen would have come either way, regardless of his answer. At least now, the Dark Knight could keep an eye on him.

Quickly bringing the jet to a stop, they slowly landed on the ground, the engines dying off.

Danny took a deep breath and rose from his seat, Batman placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder before they made their way outside, the others quickly exiting the nearby Javelin.

Batman reached into his belt, pulling out a small tracer, which was slowly beeping rhythmically, a dull green light flashing from time to time.

 _"Mommy loves the blinking lights"_

Danny shivered at the memory, quickly shaking it from his thoughts as he turned back towards the others, Batman narrowing his eyes as he stared down at the small town before them.

"Let's go. And stay on your toes. We don't know what's down there." He growled out, the others quickly nodding their heads.

Though Danny had always pictured Amity Park as a dark and desolate place when he was a kid, he hadn't actually expected it to be so true.

The sky was a deep shade of grey. Dark greens and blacks swirled throughout it, small patches of light grey being revealed sometimes as the sun tried to break its way through, only to be denied once more as a storm approached. The surrounding buildings were faded and decrepit, loose bricks clattering to the floor, broken doors swinging in the breeze, shattered glass laying still on the floor.

Cars lay dormant on the streets, some with shattered windows while others still had their doors open. Street lights flickered from green to red to yellow, flickering out before buzzing back on, lost without people to guide.

But what really stood out was the eerie quietness that filled the empty streets. Nothing moved. Nothing breathed. Birds didn't sing, bugs didn't buzz, nothing.

"I-I don't understand. Sure this place always kind of sucked, but . . ." Danny trailed off.

"Everybody is gone." Wonder Woman finished for him.

Lantern narrowed his eyes. "The question is where?"

Batman scanned the area for any signs of movement before turning back to the others. "Spread out. See if you can find anyone. Danny and I will see if there's anything around here that might be able to hold weapons or facilities." He explained, the others nodding in agreement before dispersing, leaving the man and the ghost alone in the street.

Traveling through the town, Danny's eyes fell upon places he had hoped to never see again. Places that brought up memories that were better off staying hidden. The teen's gaze traveled to across the street, the quiet sidewalk stretching across the path, a distant ache beginning to grow.

 _Danny pulled his ratty jacket tighter around himself as he walked, the seven-year-old trudging slowly down the street, hoping to stretch out his walk home as long as possible. Lifting his gaze, the child noticed there were no other children his age walking along the road._

 _The sight didn't really surprise him, anymore. Most parents who cared about their children would never allow them to walk home by themselves, especially in a ghost-infested place like Amity Park. Of course Danny's father had stopped caring about him a long time ago._

 _Danny sighed and lowered his gaze towards the ground, keeping his eyes locked on his feet as they moved: left, right, left, right. The child could feel exhaustion dripping off of himself in waves, a natural reaction to a day of school, which was mostly just teachers yelling and bullies shoving._

 _But it wasn't the school day that really exhausted the teen. No, it was the approaching battle that had yet to come. The battle that commenced the second he walked into his house. Nevertheless, Danny tightened the straps of his backpack and continued the journey home, knowing his father would be angry if he was late . . . well, angrier than usual._

Danny quickly shook the memory away, his eyes instead turning towards the large building that stood across the street from them.

Fenton Works.

HE shivered as his gaze fell upon the dark building, moss and other small vines beginning to creep their way up the sides of the building, the large mechanical structure placed atop creaking and moaning with every gust of wind, the curtains billowing as the wind traveled through the broken windows.

Batman glanced back, taking notice in the way Danny's eyes stayed locked on the large building in front of them.

The man sighed and gently urged the teen forward, Danny hesitantly complying as they began their trek again. But just like before, the streets remained empty, no signs of life anywhere apart from the superheroes currently roaming the abandoned streets.

Suddenly, the small tracker in Batman's hands began to beep faster. The two heroes shared a look before Batman reached up to his cowl, quickly calling the other Leaguers over.

It didn't take long for the others to quickly cluster once more. Though they would never admit it, the town made them all wary. There was just something . . . off about it.

Staring down at the small tracker, Batman noticed the beeping frequencies switching as he moved his hand. Steadying the tracker, he watched as the tracker pointed forward, leading farther to the outskirts of town. Gesturing for the others to follow, the group slowly began to make their way through the abandoned town.

"So, this is where you grew up?" Flash asked, turning towards Danny. The other Leaguers perked at the question, if only to keep their minds off the eerie surroundings.

Danny shrugged his shoulders. "I guess. Though to be honest, I only spent around seven years here. The rest was all over the place. I never really stayed somewhere for long . . . . unless you count Gotham." He explained.

"This place always kind of sucked, though." He chimed. "This is _actually_ how I imagined the town _always_ was. Never thought my imagination would become reality." He muttered.

Superman flicked his gaze back over to some of the surrounding buildings. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'd really like to find out what happened here."

"We're about to find out."

The others turned back to stare at Batman, quickly noticing where they were. The town square was now behind them, the more run-down properties and low-end structures scattered around the outskirts of town. In front of them lie a large building which seemed to resemble a storage facility.

The others glanced at each other for a moment before stepping forward, only for Batman to notice Danny hovering in the air, eyes staying locked on the thick tree-line of the nearby forest. The teen's green gaze pierced through the grey haze that surrounded them all, his hands shaking at his sides as a small rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance.

Danny flinched as Batman placed a hand on his shoulder, only to calm as he realized who it was.

"Are you alright?" The Dark Knight asked quietly.

Danny hesitated for a moment before nodding his head. "Y-yeah. Yeah, I'm . . . I'm alright."

Batman's gaze stayed firmly locked onto the teen's before he gave a small nod, the two turning back towards the large building in front of them.

Approaching the large doors, Superman narrowed his eyes, hoping to view inside without actually having to enter. But the dark grey surface he was met with instantly made him let out a sigh, turning back to the others. "Lead." He growled out.

Slowly, they pushed the large doors open. Inside, crates of different sizes lines the back walls, casting long shadow on the stained floor beneath their feet. The catwalk overhead creaked slightly from time to time, but it was otherwise silent in the abandoned building, much like the rest of the town.

Flash furrowed his brow before turning back towards Batman. "You sure that tracker of yours is working?"

Wonder Woman nodded. "I do not see any source of ectoplasmic radiation." She stated.

"No. It's here. I can . . . I can feel it." Danny stated, the others turning towards him. He shut his eyes and slowly milled around the room. Finally, he opened his eyes once more, revealing them to be an even brighter green than before. "I can feel it. We're definitely in the right spot." He explained, a flash of lightning lighting up the sky outside.

Superman cocked his head. "So . . . where's it coming from?"

Danny narrowed his eyes in thought for a moment before a thin wisp of blue smoke trailed out of the corner of his mouth. His Ghost Sense. Over the years, Danny had grown accustomed to the feeling, but . . . but this was different.

The shiver that ran down his spine wasn't the pleasant burst of frost he always felt whenever his sense went off. No . . . this time it was frozen. It chilled his bones, froze his veins, stopped his heart. It was a feeling he had hoped to never feel _again._

Danny's eyes widened, his pupils becoming nothing more than tiny black pinpricks as a small gasp escaped him.

He quickly whipped around to face Batman and the others. "We have to get out of here!" He shouted, the others jumping in shock at the teen's cries.

"What are you talking about?" Lantern asked.

"What is wrong?" J'onn asked.

Danny shook his head at their questions, clutching his head in panic.

Batman quickly whisked over, kneeling down in front of the boy. "Danny. What's the matter?" He asked quickly.

The teen's head whipped up, piercing eyes locking onto Batman's. "W-we need to go NOW!" He shouted.

"Why?" Batman asked.

Danny grabbed the man's wrist with his shaking hands, eyes staying locked onto his face. "Just trust me. Please, we need to leave!" He cried out.

The others shared concerned looks as Batman continued to stare into the teen's fearful face. Finally, the man gave a small nod. "Alright. Let's go." He stated, turning back towards the others. "We can regroup at the-" He trailed off as a loud growling filled the air.

Danny's breath caught in his throat as his eyes fell on the creatures that were beginning to slink in through the broken windows, phase through the doors, or crawl down from the catwalk.

They stood taller than the average Great Dane, their bodies muscular yet lean at the same time. Their faces and snouts were lean and bony, resembling that of a bare canine skull. Their teeth shone out in the open, no skin to hide them from view. Their long black claws scraped the ground and the metal, creating horrid screeching noises as they were dragged. And down their spines, large spikes grew from the bone, tearing at the skin stretched along their backs.

"What the _hell_ are those things?" John shouted, quickly letting the light from his ring glow brighter.

"Hellhounds." Danny stammered back, quickly stepping behind Batman as the dog-like creatures began to slowly circle them.

"Hellhounds? Impossible. My mother told me they had all been banished to Tartarus." Wonder Woman exclaimed.

Danny narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, maybe the actual ones. But there creatures aren't regular ghosts. They were created artificially." He explained.

"I'm going to guess they were made by the GIW." Batman growled out.

Danny nodded solemnly.

"But why? I thought the GIW wanted nothing to do with ghosts. Why would they create ghost dogs of their very own?" Superman asked, the others turning back to Danny, who threw them a fearful look.

"For hunting."

The hounds continued to pour into the building, lining the walls as they glared at the heroes with empty red eyes. Batman scanned the creatures before leaning closer to the teen cowering next to him. "Danny, you need to get out of here." He said quietly.

The teen instantly whipped his head up, eyes locking onto the man's face. "W-wh-what? B-but I-"

 _"He's not going anywhere!"_

Everybody quickly raised their heads towards the new voice. Their eyes instantly widened in shock as they watched agents in stark white suits stepping out from the catwalk, others coming in from the windows. The back door let out a boom before it toppled to the ground, revealing even more agents.

Danny let out a startled gasp and quickly wrapped his shaking hands around Batman's forearm, tucking his head into the crook of the man's arm. The other Leaguers quickly circled around the pair defensively, Batman wrapping an arm around the shivering boy.

"It _has_ been a while, hasn't it, Phantom?" One agent asked. His suit wasn't white like the others, in fact it almost resembled a light grey. (We'll just call him Grey-Suit)

Batman felt Danny begin to shake more violently, the man's arm pulling him closer, hoping to shield him from the agents' view.

"Sir, what do we do about the others?" One man asked quietly.

The grey-suited man stared down at the heroes below before narrowing his eyes. "Take them. We are to have no witnesses." He growled out.

The agent nodded his head before snapping his fingers loudly. The dogs below let out vicious snarls as they began to stalk forward, drool dripping out of their mouths, eating away at the cement below like acid.

Batman grabbed onto Danny's wrist, the teen quickly looking up at him. "Danny. Go now." He whispered out.

Danny shook his head. "N-n no. No, I-I won't leave you. Any of you." He choked out, tears beginning to spring in the corner of his eyes.

Batman leaned closer to him. "Listen to me. You _have_ to go. You have to run. Get as far away from here as possible." He commanded. "We'll distract them."

"B-bu-but I-" Danny stuttered, clutching the man's arm even tighter than before.

Nobody had any time to say more as another snap by one of the agents sent the Hellhounds rushing forward. Danny gasped as he was quickly tackled to the ground, the others received similar treatments as they were bombarded from all sides.

Batman grunted as his back connected with the floor. With one arm, he tried reaching into his belt while the other pushed up against the hound's neck, the only thing keeping the dog's teeth from snapping at his face.

Finally, his fingers grazed the smooth black metal. Swinging his arm forward, the batarang slashed through the dog's face, a loud yelp of pain resounding from the creature as it stumbled backwards, only for another to quickly take its place.

Around the room, the others were having similar problems. Whenever they would beat one dog back, another was ready to take its place. No matter how much they punched, kicked or blasted, the creatures were always back on their feet.

Danny hissed in pain as one hound ran its claws along his face, blood splattering on the ground. Lifting his head, the teen fired a blast of ice at one particular mutt as it lunged for him, freezing it solid upon impact. As the ice connected with the ground, it shattered into a million pieces, destroying the creature inside along with it.

The victory was short-lived as another pair of dogs lunged for him, knocking him backwards.

He grunted as he tried to push them off of himself, only for one to shoot forward, clamping its jaws around his shoulder. The teen screamed in pain before kicking out with his back legs, hitting the dog in the stomach, sending him reeling backwards.

Danny took the time to raise his good arm and fire an ecto-blast, sending the creature crashing into another pair.

Lifting his head, despair flooded into the teen's heart as he watched another group of creatures stumbling towards him. Suddenly, a pair of smooth black pellets rolled along the ground, exploding underneath the dogs' feet, sending them skidding backwards.

Danny whipped around, watching as Batman landed next to him as he dodged the oncoming gunfire, the agents above having recently begun firing the blasters after having seen their creatures being beaten back slightly.

"Danny, go!" The man shouted.

The teen shook his head. "I-I can't. I won't!"

Batman grabbed the teen by the shoulders, pulling him closer. "Danny! Listen to me! It's not safe for you here. You _need_ to go! It'll be alright!" The man stressed, ducking under another blast. "Hurry! GO!" He shouted, pushing the teen forward.

Danny stumbled and flew into the air, dodging a round of blasts from the nearby agents. "B-Batman?" He called, staring down at eh others as they continued to fight.

"GO!" The man shouted, throwing another hound away.

The teen hesitated in the air for a moment before he tightly shut his eyes, diving down as he phased through the door.

Grey-Suit glared at the door where the teen had vanished before turning down towards the hounds. "GO! After him! Don't let him escape!" He snarled, the dogs quickly breaking away from the superheroes as they phased through the walls.

"HEY! What about us?!" Flash shouted after them, Superman quickly gazing over towards the exit. "Come on. We have to go help D-" He started, only for a loud beeping to fill their ears.

Glancing back up, they watched as Grey-Suit held a small circular device, dropping it onto the ground below. The beeping continued before instantly quickening. Batman's eyes widened as he turned back towards the others. "GET BACK!" HE shouted.

Suddenly, a large boom resounded from the device, followed by a bright light. The device quickly began to spin on the ground until it was a blur on the concrete. A loud buzzing filled the air as the device sparked and crackled, letting out a wave of electricity.

The Leaguers screamed in pain as the volts began to course through them, dropping them onto their hands and knees. Batman strained his head up as he cast one last glare at the approaching agents before his head fell to the floor and everything turned black, the others quickly succumbing to the same fate.

* * *

Danny gasped as he was assaulted by a large gust of wind and rain, slashing painfully across his face. But that didn't matter right now. Casting one last glance behind him, the teen watched as the Hellhounds burst out of the building, red eyes locking onto him.

The teen took a shuddering breath before quickly whipping around, speeding into the nearby tree-line of the dense forest. As he heard the loud barks behind him, Danny felt the cold white rings appear around his waist, transforming him back into Fenton.

He hated it. He hated the feeling of vulnerability, of weakness. But he also knew it was probably the only thing that would keep him alive, considering tracking a halfa was much more difficult than tracking an actual ghost. But the blood that continued to drip down his injured shoulder didn't help the situation.

Nevertheless, the hounds continued to speed through the forest right behind him. His fingers curled into sweaty fists, swinging at his sides as he willed himself to go faster. The baying howls of the dogs filled his ears, pushing him to keep moving. His heart and lungs were pumping, but it didn't seem to be enough. In fact, he doubted his heart was beating at all.

His feet skidded on the wet leaves below as the rain continued to pour down, plastering his hair to his forehead. The dogs were gaining on him. They were only a few feet away now. Danny could barely see the trees around him as he sped past. The dark sky overhead gave no aid, only adding to the surrounding darkness.

Still, the feeling of grass turning to stone underneath his feet was one Danny didn't miss. Narrowing his eyes, he was barely able to make out a small rocky outcrop, creating a tiny ledge. Pushing onward, the teen leapt off the edge and rolled on the rocky ground underneath.

Quickly whipping around, he noticed the small cave that was created by the ledge underneath. Skidding backwards, the teen pressed his soggy back into the rock as he watched the dogs leap over the ledge and continue on, racing away into the foggy darkness, quickly disappearing.

The teen's gaze stayed locked onto the foggy surroundings where the dogs had disappeared, his senses staying on edge for a few minutes. Finally, he felt his muscles relax slightly as he allowed himself to let out the breath he didn't know he had been holding.

Danny sighed and shut his eyes, resting the back of his head on the wall behind him as he slowly sank to the floor, pulling his knees up to his chest. He felt himself begin to shiver as the harsh winds picked up, but he didn't care.

The teen took a shuddering breath as he curled himself up as tight as he could and rested his head on his knees. His body shook as he sobbed, the soft sounds seeming to echo out around the trees, filling the sky as another bolt of lightning split it in two.

* * *

 **Cause who doesn't like a big hearty bowl of angst?!**

 **Rox: You've been kind of back and forth with these chapters, haven't you?**

 **Yeah, yeah, whatever. ANyway, HAPPY EASTER! . . . . I guess, I mean, now I have to go to church tomorrow . . . . yayyyy . . . . . :(**

 **JACK JOHNSON IS KING! BTW, you guys should listen to _Supposed To Be_ by my king. Seriously. . . . do it.**

 **THanks to these people for favoriting and/or following: _TheWeirdBokworm, Among Smoke, Meitantei-Clark, Pure Red Crane, THEBIGKLEW, The Guardian Night-HUnter, Sephirad, Thomas31196, werekit, dragon1414, Emily120195, HP!INK, WinterDancer8, minionofopinion, sdfgkae, Serenawitchwriter, SpiedCookie126, starthedetective; moosewithoneshow, DaughterOfTheSea1, TykiAllen_**

 **Reviews:**

 **nervousEnsemble: Yeah, but all the best things happen at midnight!**

 **YouCanOnlyPretend: Well here you go. Enough angst for you to bathe in. And be prepared, because that's mainly going to be the focus point for the next few chapters. Lucky you!**

 **Minxiboo: Well thanks because I'm sure more of these are yet to come in the future**

 **Rocky: Although I really do love Frostbite as a character, I don't really think he'll have a very prominent role in this story. Sorry.**

 **Zatannagurl: I love Alfred too! I bet if Batman took Alfred on patrol with him, the guy could probably straighten out every crook in Gotham with one stare-down. The man is awesome! I know, right. Piss Waffles are awesome too!**

 **Guest of honor: Alright, I've seen this question come up a lot in the comments so I'll just go ahead and answer this now. The Bat-kids I'm going to use include: Dick, Jason, Tim, Damian, Stephanie and Cassandra and Barbra (shut up, i know she's not an official Bat). Alright, how does that sound? Actually I don't really care cause I'm going to do it no matter what you vultures say. So shut up and eat your writing carcasses! Here, you can have mine, I'm basically dead now from writing all of this!**

 **6BlueSweaters: *grabs shovel* Alright, where do you want to do this?**

 **Among Smoke: Oh, most definitely. Corrupted child meet corrupted child. Now go! FROLIC! Create joyous mayhem together!**

 **little miss BANANNA HEAD: Yeah, I post really frequently because I'm just stupid like that.**


	19. Chapter 19: White Graves

**Chapter 19: White Graves**

A soft rumble whispered through the air, the thick grey clouds lingering above. The plink of small droplets splattering onto leaves before dripping down into puddles filled the forest. The large trees swayed with the breeze, creating small showers as they shook the water from their branches.

The frigid feeling of damp clothes clinging to wet skin was what Danny woke to. The teen let out a groan as he cracked open his bleary eyes and groggily scanned his surroundings, wondering where he was.

Suddenly, the events of yesterday flooded back to him in thick black waves as he quickly sat upright, letting out a hiss of pain as he jostled his shoulder. Glancing down, he noticed his shirt was scarlet with blood. Gently brushing away the ripped cloth from the injury, he was able to get a good look at it.

The skin was a mixture of reds and purples, large slash marks running from the tip of his neck down to the middle of his arm. Blood continued to drip from the wound, splattering down on the wet leaves below him, creating a small pool of black liquid, thankfully at a much slower pace than yesterday.

The teen sighed and shut his eyes. _Damn, Hellhounds_. He muttered to himself. It had been years since he had encountered one of the creatures, and for that he was grateful. But just as before, the injuries inflicted by those creatures weren't like other injuries. They always took much longer to heal.

Danny rested the back of his head on the rocky wall behind him, trying and failing to calm himself down. _Cool it, Fenton. Maybe Batman and the others are alright. I- I just need t-to find them_. He told himself as he slowly and shakily rose to his feet.

Carefully, he tried calling out to his core, but found he couldn't reach it. He furrowed his brow and tried once more, shaky white rings appearing around his waist as they struggled to move up and down his body before snapping back together, disappearing from sight.

"Damn." Danny growled, realizing he didn't have the energy to hold onto his ghost form.

The teen ran a shaky hand through his wet black hair as he began to jog down the rocky path, quickly disappearing back into the thick tangle of trees and bushes, realizing he had no time to lose.

The sky still maintained its dark colorings, so much so that Danny couldn't even tell whether it actually was daytime. Nevertheless, the teen continued onward, eyes and ears focused on any unusual sounds as he continued his pace.

As he moved through the forest, his ears perked at the sound of two voices filling the air. Quickly feeling his muscles tense, the boy slowed his pace and began to creep forward, ducking behind a broken and mangled tree trunk that sat dead in the dirt.

Peeking his head up, the boy watched as two men in white suits and dark black masks trudged through the leaves, flashlights in hand as they scanned the treeline, searching for the noise they both swore they heard.

Danny held his breath as the footsteps moved closer, the sound of crunching leaves growing and growing in volume. Scanning the ground by his hands, Danny took notice of a small black pebble, about the size of his hand lying near the tree.

Reaching out, the teen picked up the rock and carefully threw it farther into the trees, the soft sound of something hitting leaves quickly floating into the air.

The footsteps stopped abruptly before they both quickly made their way over to the sound, Danny taking the opportunity to speed past the trees, running until the lights and voices faded behind him.

He allowed himself a moment to breath before slowly continuing, the wind brushing his slick hair around his eyes, not that he really wanted to see the surrounding forest he found himself in.

The air was as heavy and stale as the night before, if not even more so with the added humidity. The long twirly branches intertwined and curled around each other like long bony fingers, small leaves raining down, adding to the thick carpet of foliage that crunched under Danny's feet.

As the teen jogged through the dark forest, he was painfully aware of the troops and agents milling through the trees, flashlights piercing the thick mist and darkness, scanning for signs of activity . . . signs of him.

But Danny pushed on, trying to keep as quiet as possible as he ran. Throughout the forest, the teen also noticed pieces of abandoned machinery sitting, waiting. They ranged in sizes from the size of a cart to the size of a truck. Curiosity getting the best of him, Danny warily approached one particular machine around the size of a porta-potty (with the smell to match).

It had the appearance of an enclosed tube, a small circular window on the side. Slowly approaching, the boy gently placed his hands on the side of the machine and peeked into the small window.

What he saw nearly made him gag.

Inside was a small empty chair, arm and leg restraints hanging limply. Above the chair hung a helmet of some sort attached to the top of the machine by a thin electrical wire. Along the sides of the inside sat many different spikes, each pointed directly towards the chair. And each and every part of the machine was covered in blood, the liquid dripping from the spikes, the chair, the restraints, pooling on the floor as it created a small black sea.

The teen shivered as he leapt backwards, glancing down at the engraved initials on the bottom of the machine.

 _G.I.W._

Suddenly, a low rumbling filled his ears, the ground shaking slightly. Narrowing his eyes, the teen whipped around and ducked behind the machine. Peeking around, he noticed the bright red taillights of a van as one man hopped out of the driver's seat, slowly making his way towards the back.

Opening the hatch, the doors slid up as two more men leapt out, whipping back around as they pointed their guns at something in the van, yelling at whoever - or whatever - to stay put. Craning his head further, Danny could barely make out the shapes in the darkness, but whatever was in the truck looked. . . . . _human?_

Narrowing his eyes, Danny scooted closer as his vision finally began to adjust to the dark lighting. At least seven to ten people huddled together inside the back of the truck, some big while others barely reached the knees of others. Children?

They circled together, faces hidden in shadow. But even in the dark lighting, Danny knew one thing for certain. They were _no_ ghosts.

 _So what on Earth is the GIW doing with them?_ Danny asked himself, watching as the back of the truck was slammed shut once more, one man hitting the metal with his hand, obviously some sort of signal, for the truck roared to life.

The teen was pulled from his thoughts as the men began to speak.

"Come on, let's start looking for the kid." The larger of the two men growled out, turning back around as he scanned the nearby trees.

The shorter of the two slumped his shoulders and rolled his eyes behind the mask. "Ugg, why do we still need to look? That freak's probably blown this town by now if he's smart."

"Idiot. Those supers are obviously acquainted with him. Now that we got 'em, he's bound to show up sooner or later."

The shorter sighed and shrugged his shoulders, poking his blaster around a small shrub off to the side, jumping back slightly as a small brown rabbit leapt forward, quickly scurrying along the ground as it searched for cover. The man growled and raised his blaster, quickly firing a bright blue shot at the creature, a small shriek flying into the air followed by silence and a small snort. "I guess. What I don't get is why the Justice League would bother with something like him anyway."

"Eh, who knows? Those Leaguers have always been loose cannons. If you ask me, I think it's best just to kill them now and focus on the boy."

The conversation continued, but by that point, Danny had stopped listening altogether. His hands began to shake as his eyes widened. _The League . . . Batman . . . . captured . . . gone?_ No. It couldn't be possible. He couldn't believe it. He _wouldn't_ believe it!

He shut his eyes and curled his fingers into his hair as he ducked his head, trying to curb the ringing in his ears as his heart exploded and his mind went numb.

 _"Hey, what was that?"_

 _Piss Waffles!_

Danny gasped as a bright white light was shone on him and his hiding spot. Leaping out, the teen quickly began to sprint through the trees, loud shouts ringing out behind him as the men quickly gave chase.

The rain seemed to pound even harder, sliding down his cheeks in large black drops. He tried to think, tried to figure out what to do, but for some reason, his mind wouldn't listen. Wouldn't work. He couldn't see, he couldn't feel, he couldn't think. All he could do was run.

Run.

Stumbling across a pile of branches, the teen tried to right himself, only to stumble into a large puddle, the dark water splashing up against his cheek. Quickly pumping his legs once more, he pushed himself up as the bobbing lights behind him began to get closer and closer.

Sprinting past once more, Danny could almost feel outstretched fingertips graze his neck as he leapt forward, sliding down a small muddy cliff before rolling back on the ground, the two agents staring down from the edge of the hill.

Suddenly, a loud crack boomed through the air, followed by a large plume of dust rising into the air behind the teen. The agents growled as they continued to fire before losing the boy in the darkness.

But Danny didn't stop running. And he especially didn't stop running when he heard the barking.

 _SHIT CAKES!_

A new set of white lights shone from the nearby trees as the barking grew louder and louder. The hounds exploded out of the nearby bushes, locking their sights on the sprinting kid.

Their claws scraped against the dirt, flinging up mud and rocks as their paws drummed against the earth. Loud pants and huffs rang in Danny's ears as his blood froze over in his veins. His lungs burned as he breathed in each frigid breath, freezing him from the inside out. But he didn't care. He couldn't care. He had to keep running.

Run.

Run.

Run.

They were getting close now. His foot skidded against the leaves before righting itself once more. They were going to catch him. It was only a matter of time. He needed to escape. He needed to disappear.

His eyes drifted over to the edge of the treeline, the grey sky just beyond it. A cliff.

His decision was instant. Quickly veering off to the side, Danny's feet sprayed up dirt and mud as he sprinted away, the hounds barking and howling as they followed, eyes gleaming maliciously.

Danny pumped his legs faster as the lead dog quickly closed the gap between them. He was almost there.

He could feel the hot breath of the creature on him as he tensed his muscles. Leaping into the air, the loud snap of teeth could be heard behind him as he soared into the air, the dogs howling and snarling in rage as they watched their prey plummet below.

Danny grunted and shouted in pain as he tumbled down the side of the muddy cliff, repeatedly slamming his head into the ground as well as the surrounding twigs and stones. His wrist twisted painfully as he rolled before free-falling for a second.

The snap of cold water made Danny's eyes snap open as it hit his skin. The aches in his body were forgotten for a moment as the cold melted into his skin, numbing him from the inside. Quickly regaining his senses, the teen kicked his way to the surface, taking in a large gulp of air as he breached the surface.

Danny shook his head before slowly swimming through the water. Suddenly, a bright white light caught his eye, causing him to duck his head back underneath the water as the men's flashlights scanned the surface of the water.

Swimming through the murky waters, Danny popped his head back up as the light moved onto another area of water before moving over to the cliff. The boy slowly swam through the water before he felt sand graze his hands and knees.

Placing a shaky hand on the soil, the teen slowly crawled out of the water, painfully pulling himself away before he collapsed onto the grassy terrain, his chest heaving as he shut his eyes, one thought ringing in his ears, bring hot tears to his eyes.

 _Batman's gone._

The water soaking his clothes began to seep into the boy's bones, but he didn't care. He couldn't really feel anything right now. _They . . . no . . .no._ He shut his eyes tightly as he shook his head. No. It couldn't be true. It just couldn't.

He kept his eyes shut tightly, silently praying that if he kept them shut long enough, things would go back to normal when he opened them again.

But they did not go back to normal.

Instead, his eyes fell upon the grey sky, stray drops of rain sliding down his cheeks, making his eyes twitch as they splashed down. The dark black clouds had finally begun to disperse, the light grey color slowly seeping into the sky as the sun tried to shine through the thick fog.

The teen stared at the sky for a moment longer before slowly flipping onto his stomach, shakily pushing himself up to his hands and knees before rising to his feet. The loud thumping in the back of his head made him hiss in pain and grit his teeth as he wrapped his arms around himself, hoping to warm up in any way.

Lifting his head, Danny noticed he was at the base of a small hill, the top shielding the rest of the path from view. Letting out a small sigh, the teen began to slowly trudge up the grassy hill, feet slipping occasionally as he did.

Finally, the boy crested the hill, eyes falling on the bare road in front of him.

He paused as his eyes stayed locked on the asphalt river, the foggy white mist seeping down from the sky as it covered the ground. The air was deadly silent, save for the soft laps of water splashing onto the shore. Danny lifted his head as he stared off into the distance where the road disappeared into the mist.

 _I could run . . . . ._

It was a valid thought, one he pondered for more than just a moment. It wouldn't be too hard. Once his powers recharged, he could disappear. Fly out here and start again. Start _all over again_.

The teen narrowed his eyes as he stared down at the empty road. Why _shouldn't_ he leave? Why _shouldn't_ he run? It was what he was best at. It was all he knew. His only constant. What else was he to do. There was nothing left for him.

Danny lifted his foot, bringing it down on the black gravel. Taking a few more steps forward, the teen paused and stared back at where he had come. The wind blew softly around him, Danny barely realizing the rain had finally began to stop. The silence wrapped around him, his hair blowing in his face as he stood unmoving in the middle of the dead road.

 _Batman . . . . Bruce._ He was still there. _He_ was something he knew. _He_ was something left for him. _He_ had done everything to help the teen in whatever way possible. And he needed his help now, they all did.

He . . he couldn't. He just couldn't. Danny clenched his fists as he narrowed his eyes. "I can't leave them." He growled to himself.

The teen made up his mind and took off running down the road, feet flying across the asphalt as he followed the faded yellow lines. Finally, his eyes fell upon the _Welcome_ sign he had seen when they had first entered the town. Running a little farther, the boy found himself staring down at the town once more.

They were down there . . . . . . somewhere.

 _Alright, Fenton._ The teen thought to himself. _You got this._

Figures the person he lied to the most nowadays was himself.

The boy quickly began to make his way down the path, reaching the outer town buildings in a matter of moments. Danny pressed himself into the cold bricks of the back wall as the sound of tires rolling across gravel filled his ears.

Peeking his head out, he could make out a group of white vans traveling down the street slowly, bands of agents walking alongside the vehicles, blasters held firmly in hand.

Danny mumbled a few curses under his breath as he began to search the alley for different paths to take. His eyes fell on a rusty fire escape running up the side of the building. "Why is it always a fire escape?" Danny muttered to himself as he reached up and pulled down the rusted metal ladder to the ground. "One of these days I'm going to break my neck on one of these things."

The teen made quick work in climbing the ladder, crawling onto the slick wet roof above. The crows and pigeons that perched on the roof quickly fluttered into the air as he walked forward. He ran his hands along the cool metal of the railings as he quickly moved across the rooftop.

Peeking his head forward, Danny leapt down onto the lowered roof of the next building when he saw the coast was clear. Suddenly, the sound of shouting and crying filled his ears as well as loud shouts coming from farther into the town.

Danny narrowed his eyes in thought. Somebody was obviously in trouble . . . but he was already on a rescue mission. He didn't need another one.

Another scream pierced the air.

 _. . . . . . . . Piss Waffles._

The teen mumbled a long string of profanities under his breath as he ran across the roof and quickly made his way down the next fire escape, landing softly on the slick ground beneath. Casting one glance around, the boy sprinted out across the street before slamming his back against the building wall across the street.

The shouts were getting louder now. The teen's feet slashed in the small puddles as he sped by, ears and eyes wary for any passing agents or vans. Suddenly, Danny ducked down behind the dumpster beside him as a flash of white caught his eye.

Peeking his head out, he heard the same screams from before ringing out from the buildings across the street. Danny's eyes widened as he caught sight of what was happening down the street, his fists clenching in anger.

A handful of agents littered the street, large blasters held in each of their hands. A few more stumbled out of one of the buildings, two people clutched in their grasp: a man and a woman. They both screamed in fear as the agents dragged them from the building.

The man struggled in the agent's grip, kicking and lashing out as best he could while the woman cried beside him. Through their struggles, the agents managed to drag the couple to a large cargo truck stationed in the middle of the street.

One man walked up to the side of the truck and flipped a switch on the back of the truck. A large whirring filled the air as the long side-panel of the truck began to tip forward and open up, revealing the inside of the vehicle.

Inside the truck, there was a large cage that filled up the entire truck, the walls translucent and clear, revealing the contents inside. A dozen or more people either stood or sat inside the cage, some pacing back and forth while others hugged their knees and rocked back and forth.

Upon the opening of the truck, they all stopped moving and rushed to the corner of the cage, hoping to get as far away from the agents as possible. Said agents acted as if the scene didn't phase them at all. They merely dragged the couple towards the truck and opened up the cage, tossing them inside before closing it once more.

Similar scenes played out up and down the street; agents crashing into homes that most would assume as empty, dragging out people, kicking and screaming towards the truck. The people ranged from adults to teens to even small children. One woman was even holding a small baby close to her chest.

The agents smirked and joked with each other as they tossed in another child, the adults in the cage quickly doing their best to comfort the small child who was currently crying for his mother. Danny felt his fingertips digging into his palm as his fists shook by his side. It was one thing to do unspeakable acts to ghost, some of who weren't the best characters, but it was a totally other thing to hurt innocent people and children.

Danny quickly stood from his spot behind the dumpster. He had to do something. He couldn't leave them. He couldn't.

 _Damn_ _hero complex. Look what you did, Batman! Look at the idiot you made of me!_ He thought as he began to formulate a plan.

The teen took a deep breath before running out into the middle of the street. "Oh, BOYS!" He called, watching as the agents whipped around to face him. He plastered a cheeky grin onto his face as he waved a hand through the air.

"Looking for me~?" He sang out, almost snickering at the shocked looks on the captured people's faces as they wondered how such a small body could hold so much stupid!

"GET HIM!" One man shouted, the other agents quickly leaping to action as they rushed forward. Danny quickly turned on his heel and sprinted down the alley next to him. "These people better be worth it!" He shouted to himself as he turned another corner before uttering a prayer to himself and his powers.

His body flickered back and forth between tangible and intangible before the teen mumbled a _screw it_ and leapt through the nearest wall. Thankfully, his body phased through the bricks as he landed on the cold floor of an abandoned arcade. Okay . . . so, cold _and_ sticky.

Nevertheless, the teen leapt to his feet and rushed out the doors, realizing he only had a limited amount of time before the agents circled back. Rushing up to the truck, he ran up to the control panel and flipped the switch, the walls lifting up.

He raised his head to meet the gaze of the people inside. They stared at him with shocked and wary expressions as they wondered if it were really true. The boy let out a loud sigh and slapped his hands against the sides of his legs in exasperation. "Well don't just stand there, ya' morons. GET THE FUCK OUT!"

Immediately, everybody rushed out, leaping down from the truck as they landed on the road and quickly dispersed, sprinting into the nearby shadows and alleys. Most shot him relieved and grateful looks as they ran past.

The teen stood there as he watched them disappeared, a small smile forming on his face. The look was immediately wiped from his face as loud shouts filled his ears once more.

"Right . . ." He mumbled to himself as he quickly blended into the shadows as well, watching as the agents reappeared.

"DAMN IT!" One man snarled as he noticed the missing prisoners, running a hand through his hair as he tried to figure out what to do next. Finally, he shook his head and turned back towards the others. "Come on. Let's get out of here. We need to be getting back to HQ anyway." He sighed, the others nodding before making their way towards the truck. "I'm so dead." The man muttered as he hopped into the driver's seat.

Danny watched as the large truck revved to life. The truck that was heading towards HQ. The truck that was leading to Batman.

The teen narrowed his eyes as he shifted closer. He wasn't done yet.

He had a Bat to find.

* * *

 **Damn! This took a long time.**

 **Rox: You're cursing a lot right now. . . .**

 **FUCK YOU! What did you expect?! It's 1:39 in the morning! I'm fuckin' tired!**

 ***rubs foot on ground* . . . . please don't hurt me . . . .**

 **Rox: Ehh I don't care. I'm tired too.**

 **Thanks to these people for favoriting and/or following: _wolfyshy, Airyka, AlexaEvans12, ChiTuski26, PJfan499, funkyferret, moosewithoneshoe, Dark Angel Of Wind, Green223, Thebananathatwrites, iampieman, .kushito, Beatnix, The Fall of SPring, xX-SummerGirl-Xx, Kaylea221; WinterDancer8, HazelCookie, SpiedCookie126, anmaho09, Bellmitch Kritznovah, Weirdonetu, Ryo551, Phantom heir daughter of Zeus_**

 **Reviews:**

 **PhantomofHalloween: Yeah, I kind of make everyone suffer. It's like my special talent. JUST ASK MY PARENTS!**

 **little miss BANANNA HEAD: AHH! I hold your life in my hands! That is a lot of responsibility on my part! Thanks, man! Thanks for burdening me with that! GOD!**

 **nervousEnsemble: Wheeeeee!**

 **YouCanOnlyPretend: Haha! Well get ready to embark that ship, matey! Cause we're about to start a journey and sail the seven angsty seas! You ready to travel across the salty tears of my characters! I know I am!**

 **Is-this-a-good-name: Sure, you can talk to my teachers. As long as you're good at hand to hand combat . . . and own a pair of nun-chucks . . . . . and know where to hide a pile of bodies . . . .:D**

 **6BlueSweaters: Patience, young pato-wan!**

 **Zatannagurl: Danny and the others in this story probably don't like angst. They're probably going to hate it . . . . hehe.**

 **thepuppylover1: *grabs feet and pull out from under bed* Oh I Dare! I dare to do a lot of things! You don't even KNOW! YOU DONT EVEN KNOW! AHAHAHH! . . . . . . I'll go sit in the corner now . . . . *slumps in corner and pouts***


	20. Chapter 20: Hearts of White

**Chapter 20: Hearts of White**

Bright florescent lights filtered into his eyes, making a small groan slip from Batman's lips as he shifted. His muscles felt tired and stiff, but he sat up anyway, placing a hand to his throbbing head. Breathing a sigh of relief as he noticed his cowl was still on, the man blinked away the blurriness from his eyes and scanned his surroundings.

He was lying on the floor in the middle of what appeared to be a cell. It was empty and the transparent walls were bare. A faint humming sound filled the air as well as the slight buzz of electricity. The transparent wall in front of him revealed a view of the hallway outside the cell as well as the other cages lining the wall across from him.

Turning to the sides, Batman took notice that there were only four cages in the entire room. Two on one wall and two on the other. The rest of the room was filled with computers, machines and monitors. In the cell next to him. Superman and Diana shifted on the floor, each seeming to finally regain their senses.

Across from them, Flash and J'onn shared a cell while GL and Hawkgirl shared another. They all let out pained groans as they clutched their heads and cast confused glances around the room.

Upon closer inspection, Batman noticed they were all missing their weapons: Hawkgirl's mace, Wonder Woman's lasso, GL's ring, even his utility belt.

 _Great._

Superman shook his head and blinked his eyes before turning towards the others. "Is everybody alright?" He called.

"If by alright you mean my head feels like it's going to explode . . . and then explode again just for the heck of it . . . . then I'm even better than alright." Flash groaned, shutting his eyes as he tried to block out the harsh glow of the lights overhead.

"What the heck happened anyway?" GL asked, turning towards the others.

Wonder Woman narrowed her eyes. "We were ambushed. The lowly cowards . . ." She muttered under her breath.

As Batman scanned the room, an alarming thought slammed into his mind, making his quickly whip around to the others. "Has anyone seen Danny? Is he in here?" They turned to each other, shaking their heads as they shrugged their shoulders. "I do not believe he made the trip with us." J'onn stated.

"Which means he's still out there." Batman growled, clenching his fists.

Hawkgirl rolled her eyes and folded her arms over her chest. "Beats being in here."

"Yeah, about that . . ." Flash stated. "Where exactly is . . . . _here?"_

Batman narrowed his eyes as he crouched down, inspecting the glowing glass-like panels that trapped him. The faint green glow it pulsed as well as the sleek machines scattered around the room made the answer obvious, especially when the actual color of the room was taken into account.

"Well, factoring in the tech around here as well as the overwhelming color pallet, I think it's safe to assume we're somewhere in GIW Headquarters."

"My, my, aren't we bright? Then again, I guess they don't call you the _World's Greatest Detective_ for nothing."

The Leaguers whipped their heads around to face the main doors as they slid open.

Inside stalked a tall man with grey hair tied back into a ponytail behind his head. He wore a wicked smirk on his face as his eyes gleamed maliciously, but what really stood out was his suit, which was an even darker grey than the suit seen by the lead agent before.

"Good evening, everyone. I _do_ hope you've been enjoying your stay." The man stated smugly, walking over as he began to pace back and forth in front of the cells.

Flash folded his arms across his chest. "Oh yeah, it's been _great._ " He growled out, rolling his eyes in the process.

The man's smirk only grew wider as he walked over to the desks and tables lining the side wall, running his fingers over the sleek machinery. "Well I would assume so. This must remind you of the crime labs at the CCPD, don't they . . . . . . _Wally_?"

Flash's eyes widened behind his mask as he froze and stared back at the man. The others, excluding Batman, each had similar reactions as the man continued to walk down the line.

"I do apologize, but I'm afraid you'll be confined to those cells for a little while. Now that might put a damper on family and work . . . . . " He paused and glanced at Superman, smirk growing before he continued. "But I'm sure you'll be able to manage. After all, it's pretty easy to adjust to a work schedule when you're the boss, eh Mr. Wayne?"

Batman's face remained stoic as he heard his name, his teammates . . . . _not so much._

Flash narrowed his eyes as he zoomed closer to the wall of the cell. "Alright, creep. How the heck do you know who we are!?"

The Dark Knight let out a long sigh. _Nice going, Wally . . . . . idiot._

The man folded his arms behind his back and stopped in the middle of the room, gazing around at each of them. "I'm sure you've done your homework on us, which means it won't come as a surprise that we were originally a part of Cadmus. Their business was our business, and their business . . . . was you."

"Therefore, after we were _'_ _disbanded'_ -" He stated quoting the air. "-we took the liberty of pulling some information from Cadmus's most secret files, those only available to the highest levels of authority."

Batman's gaze remained focused on the man, watching his posture and his body movement. His muscles weren't tense and everything about him seemed relaxed. He wasn't nervous. Not at all.

"Alright, I'll bite." Batman growled out, the others turning towards him as he spoke. "Who are you?"

The man let out a small snort at the question. "I believe information like that would contradict the whole _secret organization_ name." He muttered before pausing, a small smile forming on his lips. One of mockery and cockiness.

"However, considering the fact you'll never be able to share this kind of information, I see no foreseeable issues. After all, if you expose me . . . . i expose you."

Fingers began to curl into fists.

"Therefore, you may refer to me as Mr. Masters."

Batman felt his eyes narrow behind the mask. He was sure he had heard that name _somewhere_. Vlad chuckled before turning back towards the door. "Anyway, so sorry for the brief meeting, but I'm afraid I have more business to attend to. It seems I'm another step closer to catching a certain little brat."

Batman felt his knuckles turning white underneath his gloves as the man continued to smirk.

"What's the matter with you people? Why can't you just leave him alone?!" John growled out, glaring daggers Vlad as he continued to smirk.

"Yeah, he didn't do anything wrong!" Flash shouted back.

Vlad narrowed his eyes. "I beg to differ. He exists _, that's_ the problem. He exists when he shouldn't. He walks where he shouldn't. He speaks words that shouldn't be uttered. Everything he does is wrong, for his very existence is wrong. And that's why it's so important for us to catch him. What you all fail to comprehend is the severity of that creature's being. He-"

"He _has_ a name." Batman snarled out, tone low and dangerous as he glared at the man in front of him.

Vlad merely rolled his eyes. "Exactly my point. You all see him as Daniel Fenton. The GIW sees him for what he really is. An abomination. A creature of hell. A monster that threatens not only the safety of our nation, but the safety of our world. Have any of you even stopped to consider what would happen if these creatures . . . these ghosts decided to leave their realm and invade ours? With their powers, the human race would be eliminated in a matter of months, with or without superpowers behind us."

"So, no. I don't view him as _Danny._ I view him as #54623, one of our most powerful and dangerous subjects we've ever encountered. And it's my job to make sure we know _everything_ about him, and whether or not we can use him and his powers to benefit us. And that's a job I plan to do to the best of my abilities."

With that, the man turned on his heel as he began to make his way towards the large main doors.

"You won't get away with this!" Flash shouted.

"Once we get out of here, I swear-"

Vlad's snort quickly cut of Diana's threat as the man turned back towards them. "You make it seem like this is a situation you're getting out of." He said with a malicious glint in his eyes. "You don't seem to understand this situation you're in. You _aren't_ getting out of here. We can't have you mouthing off about our little project here, can we?"

"These cells you're in have been designed to hold in some of our strongest, most lethal ghosts we've ever come into contact with. They're able to split into different individual cells as they are now, or they can become one large cell to accommodate for some of our . . . _large_ subjects, and are also completely adaptable to those inside. In summary, you all aren't going anywhere for a long time."

"Do you honestly think people won't notice that the Justice League has just vanished?" Batman growled out.

Vlad let out a chuckle. "Oh I'm sure _many_ will notice. But I like to think of it as two birds with one stone. See, I get the test subject I've been hunting for years, _and_ I capture the rogue superhero team that's been on Cadmus's blacklist for a while now. Now the world's safe from _two_ major threats." He chuckled.

"S-so you're just planning on keeping us here _forever?!"_ Flash shouted, a small twinge of fear evident in his voice.

Vlad smirked as he turned back to face the group. "We're always looking for subjects to test our weapons on. Some of the ghosts we normally use can't even hold their forms for longer than a couple minutes before they dissolve into ectoplasmic goo. Now we have a few more _durable_ guinea pigs." He laughed, as he turned back towards the door.

"I suggest you all get comfortable. Nobody's coming for you. After all, who would think to look for missing superheroes in a town that doesn't exist . . . . . or at least . . . not anymore.

* * *

The churning in his stomach was making it incredibly hard for Danny not to vomit as he flew through the sky invisibly, keeping a safe enough distance from the truck so that any sensors it might have wouldn't be triggered, yet still close enough so that he could effectively follow it.

Everything told the teen to stop immediately and turn around now. Escape while he still had the chance. And granted the idea had popped up more than once in the teen's head, they were quickly thrown out. The Leaguers needed him. Batman needed him.

Besides, Batman was his biggest food source. Couldn't let that go to waste, now could he?

Still, breaking into a government building that wanted nothing more than to hang his pelt on the wall and inspect his insides? Definitely going on the list of _Dumbest_ _Things Ever Done By Teenagers,_ right behind jumping on a banana peel just to see whether it's slippery or not, and buying a pet lobster, putting it on a leash and talking it on a 5 mile walk at 3am.

So . . . . _pretty dumb._

Nevertheless, Danny continued to follow the truck as it drove down the street. As he glanced around, the surrounding area slowly became more and more familiar, a large pit forming in the teen's stomach as he began to develop a sense of where they might be going.

After a few more minutes of driving, the truck slowly began to lose speed as it turned one final corner before pulling to a stop. Danny felt a groan build up in his throat as he stared at the building in which they had stopped.

Amity Park wasn't the _biggest_ town, which meant having a surplus of schools wasn't really high on the list of importance. So to minimize costs, Amity had been built with only two schools. One for kindergarten through 5th grade and the other for 9th grade and higher. And it just so happened the two schools had been built next to each other to minimize land costs.

Nevertheless, Danny was less than pleased as he flew closer to Casper High, merely a single building away from the other school he had learned to despise. _Of all places to hide, what the heck can they do with a ratty, old high school?_ The teen thought to himself as he phased through the walls, the two agents quickly unlocking the back entrance moments later.

Quickly scanning the room, Danny realized it must be a type of gymnasium. Old stacked bleachers were pressed up against opposite walls, broken, cracked basketball hoops hung in the air, shredded baskets hanging limply, even some old school flags barely clung to rusted poles above their heads. Still, nothing about it really screamed secret lab.

Turning his head, Danny watched from above as the two agents made their way across the gym, stopping in front of what looked like a broom closet. The teen felt his eyebrows furrow as he watched the two open the door and step inside.

Flying closer, the teen phased his head through the door and watched as one of the agents opened up what looked like a maintenance box. Instead, a keypad sat on one side, while a single word sat etched into the metal on the small door.

 _EXSPIRAVIT_

One man raised up his hand, moving closer to the keypad.

5...24...19...16...9...18...1...22...9...20

Danny gasped as the entire room quickly shot downwards, thankful his head was intangible or it would have been ripped right off. A few moments later, the small room slowly slid back up to its original place. _It's . . . . It's an elevator!_ The teen quickly realized as he phased completely into the room.

Glancing at the keypad, the teen ran his fingers over the number as he tried to remember the exact order of the numbers pressed. He bit his lip as he hesitantly reached his hand forward, a slight though traveling into his mind as to what would happen if he pressed in the wrong code.

His hand immediately pulled back as a certain possibility -scratch that - a certain _deadly_ possibility made its way into his mind.

Danny sighed as he rested his back against the back wall. His eyes drifted over to the word etched into the box. _EXSPIRAVIT._ He narrowed his eyes as another thought drifted into his head. Maybe . . .

Reaching his hand out again, he counted silently in his head. _A~1, B~2, C~3, D~4, E~5. . . ._ pressing down on the 5, it appeared on the screen in front of him. He continued this process with every letter of the word until he had run through them all.

Finally, he let out a shaky breath as he reached forward to press the _Confirm_ button.

Suddenly the room shot downwards once more, eliciting a loud yelp of shock from the teen. Finally, the room stopped, the teen collapsing to the floor at the sudden jerk of movement.

Shakily rising to his feet, the teen patted his hands around himself, letting out a nervous chuckle. "K', not dead yet. That's a plus." He muttered to himself as he opened the door, sliding back into invisibility while simultaneously pushing his cold core as deep down as possible, praying it would be enough for any sensors to depict him as . . . . human enough.

The sight that appeared before him as the door slowly swung open made his mouth drop and his heart begin to race.

Agents milled around the entire hallway, some exiting from nearby doors while others pushed past them to get in. Papers flew everywhere, loud shouts and growls echoing bouncing off the walls, along with the occasional sound of a _whirring_ blade and blood-curdling screams. Yet none of these sounds seemed to phase any of the agents as they continued to hustle and bustle around.

Danny gulped as he felt the whoosh of the elevator behind him quickly disappearing, along with his chance of escape.

 _Great..._

The teen quickly shook out any interrupting thoughts as he scanned the halls once more. _Batman and the others have to be here somewhere. Just have to find out where._ He thought to himself as he flew into the air and slowly began to make his way around the building.

Around him, different people continued to work, some filling out papers while others wore lab coats and were transferring liquids from one beaker to another. Flying through rooms, the teen felt himself getting more and more frustrated with each failed attempt to find the others.

As he phased into another room, he felt himself do a double-take and nearly lost his grip on his core.

Inside there were cages lining the walls, each with bright translucent walls that seemed to crackle with electricity. Inside, figures cowered in corners as agents milled around the cages, some glancing at the inhabitants before walking past while others gave harsh shouts for them to shut up, which only made the figures whimper louder.

But inside the cages weren't ghosts. They were humans.

The teen watched as two agents in large bio-hazard suits approached one cage, which held a small girl probably around the age of 10. The child let out a small whimper as she backed up against the far wall, hoping to get as far away from the agents as possible.

After a small exchange of commands, the cage wall slid down into the floor and the two suited agents quickly stalked inside, one grabbing the girl by her shoulders while other other lifted a long pole into the air with a small red wire creating a loop on one end of it.

Lowering the pole, the red wire looped around the girl's neck as he forcefully yanked her forward, the child letting out a scream of pain and fear.

Danny felt his hands curl into fists as his eyes burned in fury. The desire to shot down and crack the agents' necks was overwhelmingly strong, but he stayed where he was, knowing any reveal of himself wouldn't help the Leaguers or anyone else trapped in the facility.

Still, it didn't make it any easier to watch the little girl be dragged into a smaller adjacent room, the closing door behind them not enough to muffle her cries entirely. It was even more heart-breaking when said cries were suddenly cut off.

Danny let out a shaky breath and phased back out of the room, his stomach flipping this way and that as he continued to search. Flying through the halls, the teen's eyes drifted to a particular hall none of the agents had turned down.

Flying closer, the teen narrowed his eyes as he tried to make out what was at the end of said hallway. Casting one last glance behind him, the teen flew forward into the hallway. At the end, the shape of a large door could be seen. But this door was much different from the others around the facility. This door seemed to have at _least_ ten different locks around it, not including the retinal scanner and voice recognition.

Narrowing his eyes, Danny reached his hand forward, feeling a small sense of relief when it phased through unharmed and unhindered. _Whatever's behind this door is something important. Something somebody doesn't want anyone else to know about._ The teen realized.

After a moment's hesitation, the teen phased through the room, shoving his core as far down as possible as his feet touched down on the ground and he released the invisibility. The feeling of disappointment at not immediately seeing Batman and the others was pushed aside by curiosity and confusion.

The room was completely dark for a moment., but as his feet touched the ground, pairs of lights began to light up, illuminating a long path down the center of the dark room.

Casting one last glance behind him, the teen slowly followed the path until a huge screen around the size of an entire wall lit up, a large control panel and keyboard coming to life. Slowly resting his hand on the chair next to the panel, the teen took a seat as he stared up at the large screen, the unmarked boxes of a password flashing on the screen above.

Danny furrowed his brow in thought as he stared at the screen before a small possibility floated into his mind. HE watched as his fingers slowly began to type in the keys, the letters appearing on the screen above.

 _E...X...S...P...I...R...A...V...I...T_

A small chime sounded from the computer as the screen flashed and different options appeared, including _Finances, Operations, Weapons Testings, Subjects, Project Phantom, etc._ The teen narrowed his eyes as he scanned the options before he hesitantly pressed on _Subjects._

The screen immediately sectioned itself off into two equal right and left sides, the right showing a picture of a large green ghost with fiery red hair. On the left was a description of the ghost, the approximate age (number of years dead), and the status. Moving his head over to the left side, Danny watched as the empty _Status_ section was filled, large red letters popping onto the screen.

 _Subject: 237465 - - - Status: Terminated._

The screen automatically popped to another ghost, one that seemed even younger than the last. Just like before, the words Subject: 43873 - - - Status: _Terminated_ appeared in the status box before the picture disappeared and another took its place.

Danny felt his heart freeze as the screen flashed from one image to the next, some ghosts while others were humans. Faster and faster, they all said the same thing.

 _Terminated._

 _Terminated._

 _Terminated._

He quickly reigned in his breathing once more as he felt his heart beating louder. Quickly exiting from the page, the teen shakily stared back up at the screen, glancing over the other options. They all invoked some level of interest, but one continued to catch his eye.

 _Project Phantom_

Danny stared up at the words, a shaky breath escaping him as he slowly clicked on the title. The screen switched once more, only it was to a picture of him. Actually, more like _pictures_. There were a few from the beginning of his stay when he was seven, a few from the end, a few action shots of him in ratty clothes, a few of him running, flying, fighting.

To the side, lists and descriptions had been made, as well as a few energy level predictions and reports. Clicking through a few more buttons, Danny watched as a new page popped up, showing what appeared to be the blueprints of a large machine. One that made his heart stop.

A ghost portal.

The schematics, the predicted metals, the power levels, readings, analyses, everything that could possibly be known about portals was listed on the screen, as well as the materials and power levels needed to make and sustain one.

 _I don't understand._ Danny thought to himself. _What would the GIW need a ghost portal for? They despise ghosts. Besides, they'd need a power source like . . . . . stronger than a city generator to sustain a portal of_ this _size._ He thought. A few years ago, the teen had taken it upon himself to study up and learn everything he possibly could about ghosts, portals and anything of that nature, if only to prepare himself.

Pressing a few more buttons, the screen switched, Danny's eyes going wide at the sight. A video appeared before him on the screen, showing a large machine next to the non-functioning ghost portal. The words _Project Phantom_ were planted on the mysterious device, which resembled a large arch with two metallic clamps on top and two on the bottom.

Loud shouts could be heard from off camera, as well as a few panicked screeches. Suddenly, four agents stumbled onto the screen, a large ghost held tightly in their grasp. The creature let out a cry of pain as one agent whisked out a taser and slammed it down on the ghost's shoulder.

Letting up, the agents pulled the ghost towards the arch machine, strapping his arms into the above clamps while they strapped his feet into the bottom ones, creating an _X_ with his arms and legs. _"Let me go! P-Please! L-Let ME GO!"_ The ghost shouted, staring at the agents with a pleading look.

They seemed unphased as they walked over to a nearby control panel, a series of buttons and levers being pressed and pulled as the arch machine began to emit a soft glow, the familiar _whir_ of a charging machine filling the air.

Danny felt a pit open up in his stomach as he continued to watch.

The arch machine began to beep and buzz as the lights around it began to flash to life. Suddenly, the machine began to vibrate and crackle as the ghost screamed. The cuffs and surrounding metal began to glow a bright blue as what looked to be energy currents began to shoot from the ghost's hands and feet into the metal before traveling through a series of wires and into the ghost portal.

A soft light began to glow from the center of the ghost portal as the arch machine continued to suck the energy from the ghost. Finally, the ghost's form began to flicker and waver as a puddle of ectoplasm slowly began to form at the base of the machine. After a few more moments, the ghost's screams silenced as he slowly faded away, the light in the portal fading back out and the video cut out.

Danny clutched his stomach as beads of sweat began to trickle down his forehead. Shakily glancing back up at the screen, he watched as an image of him in ghost form appeared on the screen, right next to the ghost portal.

 _Me . . . . . t-they . . they need me. They need me to start up the portal. B-but why?_ The screen began to stitch to a new simulation, but the teen's thoughts continued to whirl. _How did they even get the information to build a ghost portal? The only people that could possibly have that type of information were my mom and-_

The teen's eyes widened as his mouth dropped.

 _No._

The screen flashed once more, drawing the teen's attention back to the simulation above.

 _No._

Different weapons and bombs sat next to a now-working portal, bombs, missiles, grenades, poisons, and a large cylindrical container with descriptions and lists lined around it. _Destabilizing compound, effective on all spectral entities, base of pure ectoplasmic radiation and blood blossom extracts._

 _No._

The simulation continued, showing all the weapons detonating in the Ghost Zone as well as the destabilizing compound being released inside. The swirling green light quickly began to fade until the light began a deep black and faded out altogether, the ghosts around it becoming ash around it.

 _No._

 _No._

 _No_

 _No!_

 _NO!_

Danny gasped and fell out of the chair, scooting as far away from the screen as he possibly could. With a loud yelp, the teen twisted around and began to sprint as fast as he could towards the door. As he ran, he realized something just a moment too late.

His core was right at the surface.

 _Unknown ectoplasmic signature._

 _Intruder Alert!_

 _Intruder Alert!_

The lights in the room flashed on, blinding the teen as he shut his eyes tightly, the sirens blaring in his ears loudly. The sound of opening doors made him crack open his eyes and a loud gasp to fall from his lips. Four or five Hellhounds sprinted towards him faster than he could process, knocking him off his feet.

He quickly regained his senses as the first pair of teeth sunk into his arm. Danny's eyes flashed green as he transformed into Phantom and punched the dog off of him, firing a blast at another. He let out a grunt of pain as he felt claws rake across his face and teeth sink into his ankle, dragging him back.

He tried firing another blast, but his concentration was quickly snapped away as he felt ore dogs pile on him, their claws raking through his skin like butter as their teeth crunched down on bone. He let out a loud scream of pain as one dog snapped his arm, a bright burst of red splattering against his face.

He tried to push himself up, only for another large dog to knock him down, teeth clamping around his neck.

The teen wrapped his hands around the top and bottom of the dog's mouth as he tried to forcefully push the jaws open, only for the hound to clamp down harder, a gasp of pain and fear sounding from Danny.

He felt large heavy paws on his chest as the teeth continued to squeeze, the warm trickle of liquid rolling down the teen's neck as he felt his struggling become weaker and weaker. The edges of his vision became black and hazy as he felt the hound finally release its grip on his neck, dropping him to the floor like dead prey.

Danny gasped for air as he felt a warm puddle of blood pooling around him. He thought he heard the door open as he groggily raised his head. Two figures slowly entered the room, melting into colors and blobs as everything went black.

* * *

Batman narrowed his eyes as he watched the electrical currents bounce from one cell to another, timing how long it took for one rotation to take. He had been taking in small details like that for at least three hours as he continued to pace back and forth in his cell.

"Bruce, maybe you should try and get some rest." Superman called from next to him.

The man gave no notion he had heard the statement.

The others glanced at each other before turning back towards the stalking Bat. "Bruce, I'm sure Danny is fine." Diana said softly, realizing the man was probably more worried about the teen than himself. "He's right, man" John called. "Even Danny isn't dumb enough to sneak into this place." He sighed.

Batman cast a glare at the man. "Do you know Danny at all? If it's dumb and reckless, he's not even going to hesitate." The man let out a sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "He probably knows we've been captured by now. Knowing that little idiot, he's trying to track us down right now instead of running like I told him to do."

The Dark Knight shut his eyes and pressed his back against the cell wall. "Twitlet." He murmured to himself.

The others glanced at each other for a moment before letting out sighs of their own, those who weren't already sitting grabbing seats in the corners of their cells. It was going to be a _lone_ night.

Suddenly, the main doors opened and they were greeted with the sound of muffled cries and shouts.

Lifting their heads, the Leaguers gasped as they watched two agents drag in Danny, the boy's white hair stained red at the tips as he struggled in their grip. Around his neck and wrists were glowing red metallic collars and cuffs and a gag had been placed in his mouth.

Behind the two agents strolled in Vlad and another muscular man. He had dark black hair and dead dark blue eyes that seemed more black than anything else. He was at least 6'4 and he wore an identical dark grey suit that matched Masters's.

Batman's eyes widened behind the mask as his eyes fell upon the new man, instantly recognizing him from recently examined files. His fingers quickly curled into fists as he stared back at the man.

Danny continued to scream behind the gag as the collar and cuffs continued to glow a bright red, a few drops of blood dripping out from behind the metal. Stalking forward, the man roughly grabbed Danny by the collar and hoisted him into the air.

The teen locked eyes with the man, green irises filling with pure fear as he stared at the figure in front of him. The man snapped his fingers with his free hand and one of the agents reached into his pocket, pulling out a small remote.

A soft beep was heard before one of the walls of Batman's cell slowly slid into the ground. The man's muscles tensed as he readied to sprint forward, only for Vlad to whip out a gun and aim it at Danny's head. "One move, _Batman._ One move is all I need from you." He smirked.

The Dark Knight felt a growl rise in his throat before he stepped back, Vlad's smirk growing.

The man rolled his eyes at his partner before turning his head to stare back at the teen in his grasp. "Hello, Danny-Boy. It's been a while hasn't it?" Jack grinned maliciously as he roughly threw Danny into Batman's open cell, the wall quickly sliding up.

The Dark Knight was at the boy's side in an instant. As he removed the gag, he was instantly met with loud sobs and screams. _"_ Make it stop, make it stop, _make it stop!"_ The teen screamed as the collar continued to burn into his skin.

Batman stared at the teen for a moment longer before whipping his head back up. "Enough! You'll kill him!" He shouted.

Jack stared at the scene for a moment longer before turning towards Masters. "Kill it. We need him alive."

Vlad sighed before reaching into his pocket. The collar and cuffs instantly faded from red to silver as Danny gasped for breath, blood seeping out from the metal staining the silver to dark red once more as it began to drip onto the cell floor.

Jack smirked as he leaned closer to the cell. "You've been a very bad boy, Danny. And now it's time to remind you what happens to bad boys." He let out a chuckle before turning on his heel, exiting the room along with Vlad and the other agents.

Danny felt his chest heaving as he sat on his hands and knees. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to drag in enough air as he lifted his head up once more. "Danny?" Batman called as he stepped closer, realizing with sinking dread that the boy was severely wounded.

What he didn't expect was for the boy to act as if he hadn't even heard the man's voice. He merely continued to stare at the floor with shaking hands. Suddenly, he shot forward, ramming his shoulder into the cell wall as he tried to break through.

"Danny!" Batman shouted, watching as the teen continued to pound on the wall, scratching it, kicking it, whatever he could to break through it. "Danny! Stop! You'll kill yourself!" The Dark Knight shouted as he rushed forward right as Danny rammed his shoulder into the wall once more.

Pulling the teen back, Batman felt the boy push away from him as he tried to crawl back towards the wall. "Danny! Danny, stop!" Batman shouted, but the teen continued to try and break away, to try and get back towards that wall.

Wriggling out of the man's grasp, Danny reached out towards the wall once more, slamming himself against it. Blood splattered against the floor as it began to seep through the collar and cuffs even faster than before. The broken bone in the teen's arm pierced the skin, dark crimson trails streaking down his arm as they pooled around him. Batman lunged forward and pulled the teen back. "No! L-Let me go!" The boy screamed as he reached out once more.

"Danny! Danny, stop! Danny, LOOK AT ME!"

The teen froze as Batman placed his hands on either side of his face, pulling the teen's head to look at him. "Hey . . ." He called more gently, ripping his cowl away. "Look at me."

Danny stared into the man's dark blue eyes as he tried to drag in more air. His chest rose and fell in uneven, haphazard movements as he did nothing . . . nothing but stare.

Finally, large tears welled up in the teen's eyes before rolling down his cheeks. HE fell to his knees as he wrapped his arms around himself, sobs racking his thin frame as Bruce crouched down in front of him. Wrapping his arms around the teen, he pulled him closer and draped his cape around his shoulders.

Pressing the fabric into the teen's bleeding wounds, he felt the blood soak into the cloth as the boy sobbed into his chest, fingers curling into the fabric as he cried, hot tears dripping onto the floor.

Bruce shut his eyes tightly as he held onto the weeping child in his arms. Never before had he felt so powerless. Not since . . . that night. Here he was, the great and powerful Dark Knight of Gotham, able to frighten mob bosses into squealing like pigs, able to stand up to psychopaths and homicidal maniacs, yet able to do nothing here.

Nothing except rock the weeping boy back and forth and whisper the same lie over and over again.

 _"It's going to be alright."_

* * *

 **Hey guys, sorry for the delay on this chapter but I've been really depressed lately. My baby kitten, Jaxson was hit by a car and killed. It's been difficult, especially since he was _my_ cat. Everybody in my family has a special cat and Jaxson was mine. He would sleep on my chest every night and stuff like that. **

**Anyway, next week I'll be a little busy but I'll try my best to write when I have the time.**

 **Oh and hey, if any of you see a ghostly black kitten with a bow-tie collar and bright green eyes, say high to Jaxson for me. That little stinker refuses to haunt me!**

 **Rox: Wouldn't that be the best haunting ever?**

 **Totally!**

 **Thanks to these people for favoriting and/or folliowing: _Cissnei69, Midnight Wanderland, OmegaBeast27, OurcastsAmongOutcasts, Project Phantom 10, Spero Omnes, Amethyst-Phoenix2003, SandyLS, Cobalt IceDragon, Charly520, Moosomo, ghostfriend, issaLizL, Icey10, Silverfireblossom, Skas Corosante, bluegirl14, Idgrayman, Karyn Phantom, Wxnderland, Trinity103, January3001, LonelyOmnipotent, Sboyle92, Kiyaameron, twirlgirl4life1, Fire Touched, SOme GuyOnliceXD, Trickiest, 5, alphawolf96, mattchew, mlyrunge, Blackfox Nightengale, Palernick, saturnv100, AmyMc1D, LightDusk16, SanityMissing, forever-a-fanchic, ThirdEyeLore; Ryo551, SpartanCat, Ariyankey, Cabbit and the Weasel, miss mysteri, lizziebug10, Pokemaster22, Win-loft, DerpyMinecraft, mix-on-the-rise_**

 **Reviews:**

 **Fear the Fuzzy Bear: Well most of the agents that don't know him personally will call him and it, cause that's what they call all the ghost. But people like his dad and Vlad and others that talk to him on a more frequent basis will call him a _he_ from time to time. Of course, they'll always think of him as an it.**

 **peppymint: There's always a lower!**

 **Tsukiko K: I"M SORRY! *hides under bed* *Rox walks in and jumps on bed, pulls me out and slaps me in face* "What the fuck are you doing?! Don't give in to these morons! Show them up! Now go stand up for yourself or I'll come and kick your ass!**

 **Darkverger1: you forgot someth** **ing in my story?! HOW DARE YOU! Get out of here before I sick Rox on you! XD**

 **Onlylittle63: Yep, unless something horribly traumatic like a baby kitten being run over by a car happening, but what are the chances of that happening! HAHAHAHA *sobs into pillow***


	21. Chapter 21: Games

**Chapter 21: Games**

Time is a bitch.

This is a realization the average person realizes at one point or another in their lifetime, whether it be at the very end of an exam and you realize there's still 15 questions you haven't answered or waking up at 7:56 when you need to be at the office by 8:00 which gives you just enough time to do nothing.

Of course, these could remind those of when time seems to be moving too fast. There are also the times when it doesn't seem to go fast enough. Just ask a student stuck in Chemistry Class, or an employee stuck in a board meeting.

Then, there are the rare times when time seems to be moving too fast, yet not fast enough at the same time. This is exactly where Batman's situation fell. Of course, being trapped in a small cell with nothing inside in an unfamiliar territory and no plans at all could make time crawl by.

But then there were the thoughts of what would happen when those agents actually _did_ come back. What would they do? Who would they do it to? Would he be able to do anything to stop it? Whatever they were planning couldn't be good for anyone involved, meaning these moments alone were ones to be savored, making the time seem to speed by too quickly at the same time.

Crazy, right?

Thoughts like these continued to plague Batman's mind as he let out another breath, reminding himself to keep a leveled head as he tightened his grip on the sleeping teen in his arms.

It had been at least a day since Danny had been left in the cell and after his panic attack, the teen still had not awoken from his troubled sleep. He would continuously twitch and let out small whimpers as he slept, making Batman try even harder to comfort the teen.

The cell floor was now covered with specks of dried blood, Danny's injuries having healed as best they could with the inhibitor collars still wrapped around his neck and wrists. Batman narrowed his eyes as his fingers grazed over the bloodied metal. Through the dark stains, he could tell the metal was strong and the tech was impressive.

They weren't coming off anytime soon.

Glancing around, the man noticed similar collars had been placed around the necks of the other Leaguers, including himself. The notion puzzled him slightly. What did _he_ need a _power_ -dampening collar for?

"Bruce?"

The man jerked his head to the side and met Diana's gaze, his thoughts stopping him from realizing the Amazonian had stirred. "Are you alright?" She asked from the cell next to his.

The man let out a small sigh. "Super." He muttered before his gaze drifted down. Danny let out a small groan as the teen's eyes scrunched tighter and his hands curled into fists tightly gripping Batman's bloody cape.

The Dark Knight placed a comforting hand on the teen's head as he began to run his fingers through the boy's matted hair, whispering calming words all the while. After a moment, Danny fell still once more.

"How long do you suppose until people begin to wonder where we are?" The princess asked.

Batman narrowed his eyes. "I'm sure they already are. The lowlifes will probably notice first, considering there's nobody to stop them from doing whatever stupid things they're planning." The man explained.

Diana let out a sigh of her own before her gaze drifted over to Danny, which instantly filled with pity. "How's he doing?"

The Dark Knight shut his eyes as he continued to run his fingers through the teen's hair. "Exactly how you'd expect him to be." He muttered.

"That bad, huh?"

The man shook his head. "I just need to make sure he keeps a level head. The more he panics the worse it will be." He stated.

Diana nodded her head. "That makes sense. Hopefully it will be a while before they try anything."

Suddenly the main doors of the room quickly slid open, making everyone's eyes flash open wide. Batman cast the woman a sidelong glance, to which she responded with a nervous smile.

"Good morning! I do hope you're well rested because we have a very busy day ahead of us." Vlad exclaimed as he walked into the room, at least five agents present behind him, each heavily armed.

Danny lifted his head and instantly regretted it as he caught sight of the people in the doorway. His breath hitched as he leaned closer to Batman, the man quickly wrapping a protective arm around the boy.

Vlad payed no mind as he reached behind him and pulled out a clipboard with various pieces of paper attached to it. "Let's see here. A few of you lucky dogs will get to perform a few tricks for us." He said with mock enthusiasm.

GL narrowed his eyes as he leaned closer to the cell wall. "If you think for one second that we're going to just fall in line and do whatever you say then you can just-"

"OH, but you _will_ be doing whatever we want." Vlad sniped, a large smirk spreading onto his face. "I mean, it's not like you actually have a choice." He chuckled as he reached into his suit and pulled out a small remote with a slick red button in the center.

Slamming his finger down on the device the Leaguers instantly felt a sharp jolt course through them followed by excruciating pulses of electricity flow through them before they suddenly ceased.

"And that's only level two." Masters grinned before snapping his fingers, the agents behind him quickly moving forward. Superman, Diana and Flash each shared looks of surprise as the front walls to their cells slid into the floor.

Before they could move, Vlad raised the remote again. "Don't even think about trying anything." He growled. "It would be very unfortunate for your friends."

That instantly made them freeze before lowering their heads as they allowed the agents to roughly grab onto their shoulders as they led them out of the room. Before Batman could breath a sigh of relief, he watched as the front wall to his own cell slide into the floor. He and Danny were quickly on their feet, the former pushing the latter behind him as he glared out at the agents.

Vlad let out small snort as he watched the scene. "Oh don't worry. You're _both_ coming with us. . ." He raised up the remote. ". . .or else."

Batman held his defensive pose until he felt a small hand grab his forearm. Glancing down, he met Danny's fearful gaze. But behind the gaze there was also a look of shaky determination.

 _Are you sure?_ The man asked silently.

Danny hesitated for a moment before he gave a small nod.

Batman remained unmoving for a moment before dropping his defenses, still remaining on guard as the agents moved forward, grabbing him and the teen as they were led out of the room.

After a while of walking through the brightly lit halls, Batman was escorted into a separate side hall adjacent to the main walkway, feeling dread build up inside his gut as he watched Danny disappear into another room.

Suddenly, a hard shove sent him reeling forward, the sound of a locking door filling the air behind him. He narrowed his eyes as he tried to make out anything in the dark room. Suddenly, a loud voice cut through the silence through the intercom.

 _"We'll be with you in a moment. Just be patient."_

Great.

* * *

Danny cracked open his eyes hesitantly, fully expecting to see a room filled with sharp objects and bloodied tables.

 _What the shit is this?_

Inside, it seemed like an average interrogation room, complete with a metallic table, two chairs and a one-way mirror taking up most of one wall. The teen cast a confused glance towards the agent next to him, only to receive an answer in the form of a hard shove, which ended up with him face-planting on the floor.

The sound of snickering behind him made his hands curl into fists, but he quickly gained control over his anger once more as he heard the door close behind him.

Slowly rising to his feet, the teen warily began to inspect the room. Checking the corners for cameras, the teen made sure to take note of the two he spotted in the upper corners of the walls and the agents that were probably watching through the mirror.

 _What's the point of this thing? They never bothered to talk to me before. They barely thought I could comprehend speech before! Morons . . ._ The teen thought to himself as he continued to scan the room.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, causing the teen to whip around.

"Shit cakes."

"Language, Danny. Honestly, it's a wonder you were able to learn basic manners at all."

The teen felt his stomach drop as his father entered the room. Up close, it was obvious to see the height difference between the two, Jack towering high above the scrawny teen. Danny instinctively took a step backwards as the man closed the door behind him and cast him a sly grin.

Shaky hands rubbed the numbers on his arm as Danny stared back at the man, quickly trying to get a grip on the unadulterated fear building up in his gut. Swallowing the bile rising in his throat, the teen met Jack's gaze with a hard glare, instantly going on the defensive.

"What do you want?" He growled out.

Jack stared into the teen's bright blue eyes before smirking. "I just want to talk. We have a lot to catch up on." He stated as he took a seat at the table, placing a folder on the table as he opened it up and began to write in it.

 _Alright. Small talk with a psychopath. Sure . . . . why not?_

 _"_ Well, you've finally grown."

"Yeah, six years will do that." The teen quipped, folding his arms across his chest.

Jack smirked, but refused to raise his head as he continued to write in the papers.

Danny had always imagined what would happen if he ever met his father again. Of course, one would suspect he'd want to pummel the man and do as much physical damage as he possibly could. But the opposite was true. Danny always hoped he would _never_ see his father again, and if he ever did, he would run far.

It was a surprising realization to the boy. After living on the streets, the teen had quickly realized that when coming up to a fight, you size up your opponent first. If you can take the opposite, then of course you wail on him, but if it's a fight you _know_ you ain't winning, you run and you run fast.

A lot had changed in six years. He had gotten stronger, faster, smarter. Danny knew he could take his father if it ever came down to it . . . but he couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to attack the man, no matter how much he wanted to. No matter how much he tried to fight it, all he saw of Jack was the version he saw when he was seven. The man was big, loud and unstoppable, especially to a child. He couldn't do anything to stop him.

The teen knew it was stupid. He knew it was irrational. But he couldn't stop himself from thinking of Jack as he had when he was seven.

Unstoppable. Undefeatable.

A monster.

But despite all of it, Danny had to credit the harsh lifestyle of street-living with one thing. After all, it taught him the most valuable life rule he had learned so far.

Never show your fear to those stronger than you. Always find a way to hide it, preferably in the most annoying, condescending way possible. (Batman having received the brunt of this lesson)

Considering this, Danny hesitantly took a seat opposite of his father and glared in his opponent. "Alright, you wanted to talk. Now talk." He growled out.

Jack stopped writing and slowly put his pen down, raising his head to meet Danny's gaze with his own narrowed one. Silently, the man rose from his seat and took a slow step forward. The eerie calmness that floated around the man made the uneasiness in Danny's stomach flutter angrily.

The man continued to circle around the table until he was standing right behind the teen's chair. Danny's shoulders tensed as he waited for the man to do something. After a moment passed of nothing occurring, the teen dared to take a peek behind him . . .

A large fist slammed into the side of his head, the teen's neck painfully whipping to the side. Before the ringing in his ears ceased, he felt large burly hands grab the front of his bloody shirt and hoist him into the air.

His eyes met his father's calm, dead cobalt ones as the man stared back at him. "Let's get one thing straight here. _I'm_ in charge, meaning _I_ make the rules. Or do you not remember this from all those years ago, _Danny-boy?"_ He sneered before throwing the teen down, his back connecting painfully with the metal chair as it toppled to the ground next to him.

Danny quickly tried regaining control of his speeding heart as Jack backed away a few paces before taking a seat once more. Danny kept his eyes locked onto the man in front of him as he slowly and hesitantly slid back into his chair.

Jack stared at the boy for a moment longer before he let a grin slip onto his face. "Alright, how 'bout we make this a little more interesting? I know I have a good load of questions to ask you, and I'm sure you have the same. So, for every question you answer for me, I'll answer one for you." He placed his elbows on the table and leaned closer, narrowing his eyes as his grin grew wider. "How 'bout it, _son_? Up for a game?"

Danny felt a shiver go down his back at the man's had taught him that his dad's _games_ were not ones to cheer at. Nevertheless, it's not like he had much of a choice in the matter so he responded with a simple nod of the head.

Jack gave a nod of his own and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest. "Alright, let's get started. First thing's first. How did you escape in the first place six years ago?" The man growled out.

Danny felt a smirk of his own slip onto his face. Figures these airheads would want to know where they slipped up.

"Well it wasn't all me. I actually got some help from the only decent person in that damn place." He explained. "After that, it wasn't hard to slip by all those morons when those collars were off."

Jack narrowed his eyes but said nothing. Danny, however, was not to keen on keeping his mouth shut at the moment.

"Alright, now for you. How did you end up with these guys in the first place?"

Jack let a snort escape as he turned back towards the teen. "Well, after you escaped and the GIW was 'disbanded'-" He started, quoting the air. "I was recruited to join the new secret organization in hopes I would be able to track you down. After awhile, I began to move up in the ranks and before long I was Co-Commander." He explained. "Wasn't too hard. Most of the wind-bags in this place don't have the stomach for what Masters and I do."

"Stomach or lack of morals and decency?" Danny muttered, only to receive a slap to the face. _Idiot._

"Smart-ass." Jack growled out before clearing his throat once more. "So, what have you been doing for the past couple years?" Jack asked.

Danny narrowed his eyes at the statement, one that surprisingly sounded like something an average father would say to a son they hadn't seen in awhile. What was he playing at? _He can't possibly care about what I've been doing. Maybe he's just trying to get a rise out of me._

Making the boy angry just so he could punish him for it had been one of Jack's favorite sadistic games to play with his son years ago, one that taught Danny that sometimes silence is the best way to go. Yet Danny knew he couldn't stay silent now. That would only make the psychopath angrier.

 _Damn, so this is what it's like being stuck between a rock and hard place . . . you know, if the rock was a psychopath and the hard place was . . ._ another _psychopath._

"Oh you know, not much. Just trying to stay alive as a group of crazed maniacs with guns chased me across the country." He muttered.

Jack narrowed his eyes and grinned once more. "So, nothing interesting?" He sniped.

Danny returned with a mocking look of his own. "Well, starvation here, hypothermia there. Oh, and I'm pretty sure I was kidnapped by a sex offender when I was ten. . . . or at least he made an _attempt_ . . . and a pretty horrible one at that. Honestly, I'm still on the fence whether it can even be counted as a _'kidnapping'."_ He stared back at the man. "But to you, those things probably just build character, ay' _Dad?_

Jack merely returned his son's hard stare as the room filled with an uncomfortable silence.

Finally, Danny folded his hands underneath his chin as he glared across the table at his father. "Okay, I have one. The people you've been collecting from the town. What are you doing to them? Why are they here? I thought you were only concerned with ghosts."

Jack threw the teen a look of disdain before answering. "Amity Park is one of the most ghost infested areas on Earth, and it's been like this for longer than anyone can remember. Natural portals appear here more than anywhere else, including the Bermuda Triangle. And with all those ghostly entities comes the ectoplasmic radiation from long-time exposure."

Danny narrowed his eyes. "So, what? You think these people are . . . infected or something?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Infected or not, we can't have them running around with a chance of that being true. So we-"

"So you're locking them up like guinea pigs and torturing them?!" Danny shouted.

"It could be worse, Danny." Jack stood from his chair. "We could be treating them like you and the rest of your putrid kind. You're lucky you even get to talk right now instead of going straight back to that table." He growled out.

Danny instantly silenced at that, watching as Jack took a step away from his chair and began to walk around the table. "Alright, I got a good one. How the hell did you get involved with those Justice freaks?" He asked.

Danny scoffed in frustration at the name but lifted his head up nonetheless. "Well after around the six year mark of running for your life, your legs start to get a little tired, so I decided to try and find help." Danny quipped.

"And let me guess, going to a group of superheroes as a fugitive ghost was your bright idea?"

Danny scrunched up his nose and folded his arms defensively. ". . . . . maybe. Alright it wasn't my best idea, but it sure as hell worked!" He shouted back.

Jack let out a booming spout of laughter. "Yeah, who exactly did it work for? The six superheroes who are currently sitting in cells? Or the ghost about five minutes away from an examination table?" The man sneered.

Danny opened his mouth to shout out a retort before instantly clamming up. His eyes frantically flickered back and forth in through, a small detail his father instantly caught. The man let a chuckle slip out as he walked over and placed his hands on the back of Danny's chair.

"Oh come now, Danny. You didn't actually think any of this would work. They're ' _heroes_ '" He quoted with a grimace. "And you're a monster. What did you expect? That they would fight by your side? That they would drop everything to help you? That they would take you in as one of their own?"

Danny lifted his head and threw the man a glare. "They did." He said in a weak voice.

"And look where it got them. Rotting away in a cell." Jack retorted, watching as Danny's eyes fell to the floor. "You've brought them nothing but trouble, Danny. Because that's exactly what your kind brings. No matter how much you try, no matter how much you fight to believe it isn't true, It always will be."

He stopped behind the teen and bent down closer. "You're a ghost. What would they ever want with a thing like you?" He whispered into the teen's ear.

"SHUT UP!" Danny screamed, pushing himself away from the table as he backed up against the far wall, keeping his eyes locked on his father as the man stalked back, a triumphant look on his face.

"PROJECT PHANTOM!" Danny shouted, causing Jack to freeze.

"What?"

"I want to know about Project Phantom!" He snarled, knuckles shaking by his sides.

Jack's fingers twitched.

"Well, Pops? Forfeit the game?"

The man stayed silent for what seemed like an eternity before he chuckled softly. "You always were a nosy little shit." He muttered.

"Project Phantom is something we devised two years ago, when we realized taking out the ghosts would never truly get rid of them. Where there's one cockroach, there's a whole infestation. We had to take it out from the root."

"I'm sure you remember the ghost portal, Danny. I sure do . . . . and I know your mother and sister remember it perfectly." He growled in a low voice, the teen visibly flinching as he wrapped his arms around himself and tucked his chin into his chest.

"Anyways, we had always wondered about the Ghost Zone. If we could find a way to breach the dimensional barriers and rip a hole through. We have the tools, the parts, the blueprints. . . but we still needed a working power source. And finding a power source that could rival the power of a city generator is not an easy task to accomplish."

"So we brainstormed." He explained, circling around the room, Danny keeping a fixated eye on him at all times. "We wondered where we could find the energy to ignite that spark and rip through the barrier. Finally it came to us." He stated, turning back towards Danny.

"We had to remember what we were building in the first place. A _ghost_ portal. A machine composed entirely of ghostly energy." He explained, stalking closer with every word. "Meaning we needed a spectral power source to power it. But it couldn't be just any random ghosts plucked from one of the cages."

"No, this ghost needed to be different. It needed to be self-sustaining. Not one that merely feeds of human emotions like the common ghost, otherwise it would be reduced to ectoplasmic sludge when we tried to extract the power."

Danny narrowed his eyes in thought for a moment before they widened enough to rival saucers as he whipped back up to face his father. "That's why you're taking the humans." He breathed.

Jack turned his head to face the teen, a wicked grin plastered on his face. "The game says I answer the questions, but it says nothing about those answers being truthful." He sniped.

"You don't care about ectoplasmic radiation. You're trying to create . . . create half-ghosts." He gaped.

"Look at that. You're finally starting to learn. Yes, we needed halfas for our portal to work, meaning you get to be the star of the show, Danny." He stated, walking closer. "Come now, those powers are finally going to be put to good use. You should be happy."

Danny quickly ducked underneath his father and scooted over to the other wall, trying to distance himself as much as possible from the deranged man. "You're insane! You can't get rid of the Ghost Zone!" He shouted.

"Why not? Daniel, you still don't seem to understand! You and your kind have no purpose other than to torment and infect the waking world." He growled out, grabbing the teen's wrists before he could escape. "I'm trying to help the world by getting rid of this infestation! Tell me, Daniel. Just tell me one contribution that ghosts have made to the world! Just one!" He shouted.

The teen stared back at the man's crazed eyes, for once, at a loss for words. Jack stared down at the boy in disgust. "Exactly. Who's going to miss you when you're gone?" He growled out, turning towards the door, the teen still in tow.

Suddenly, Danny's eyes narrowed as he yanked his wrists out of the man's grasp. Jack turned back with a shocked face as Danny glared up at him. "Batman. Batman would miss me. Superman would. Wonder Woman would. Flash, GL, Hawkgirl, Sam, Tucker, all of them! You think ghosts are disposable creatures unable to love and incapable of gaining that love, but you're wrong!" He shouted.

"I've met horrible people in my lifetime. But I've also met wonderful people who've reminded me just what I can do. People who care for me. People who love me. People who are much better for me than you ever could. I don't care what you say. I don't care what you do. But you'll never be able to convince me that ghosts aren't worth anything." He shouted, fists clenched by his side.

"You're wrong, Jack. I know you are, the League knows you are, and deep down . . . _you_ know you are. Do you think Mom and Jazz would have wanted any of this to happen? For you to do all these horrible things?" HE shut his eyes tightly before staring hard into his father's emotionless eyes. "You'll never win. Never. And if you think for a _second_ that you have an actual chance, then you can go fu-"

Having the wind knocked out of you is never a pleasant experience, especially when it's done by your own father. He barely had time to blink before the steel-toed boot connected with his stomach. He gasped as all the air was forced out of his body as he doubled over and wrapped his arms around his waist.

Rough hands grabbed his shoulder and he was suddenly on the ground, gasping for breath. Flipping onto his back, he gasped as the boot slammed down onto his chest, pressing his back into the floor.

He groaned in pain as it pressed deeper and deeper into his chest, forcing him to gasp for air. Leaning down, Jack reached his hand over and grabbed a fistful of Danny's hair, raising the boy's head to look at him. Danny felt himself shake in fear as he gazed at the man's eyes. They were full of unrelenting rage and madness.

"You listen to me, you fucking piece of shit. Nothing about you is worth saving! You're a pathetic, murderous creature that doesn't deserve to breath the same air as everybody else and I'm going to make sure you know just how worthless you really are." He snarled. "GUARDS!"

The back door suddenly swung open as three more agents filed into the room. "Prep the table!" Jack shouted, one guard nodding as he left the room.

Danny's eyes widened in horror as the words reached his ears. "W-what! B-bu-but I t-thought you n-needed me alive!" He screeched, letting out a gasp of pain as Jack pressed the boot harder onto his chest, the feeling of bones bending making Danny's fingers curl against the cold tile floor.

Jack lowered his head and grinned maliciously. "You'd be surprised just how much the human body can handle, especially for someone who's only half-human. And you'll be even more surprised at the new toys we've gotten over the years." He chuckled as he reached down and grabbed Danny's neck, hoisting him back to his feet as he threw him to the other agents, who latched onto his arms.

"First thing you've got to learn is respect!" The man shouted. "And we have _plenty_ of tests to teach that."

"Besides, there are _quite_ a few people around here who want nothing more than to see you on the dissection table. They've been working so hard, I think it's about time they got a reward." He said with a knowing grin and a dangerous glint in his eye.

"No! No, you can't do this!" Danny shouted, only for Jack to grab the side of the teen's neck and lean closer.

"Oh, Danny . . . . who's going to stop me?"

* * *

 **Concussions are fun, aren't they!**

 **Rox: Well next time, don't slide headfirst into home plate with a large catcher blocking the way!**

 **It seemed like a good idea at the time!**

 **Anyway, next chapter is going to be . . . I an't gonna lie it's gonna be pretty bad. Any squeamish people are being warned now!**

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 **Reviews:**

 **5: You are fantastic! Thank you so much for reviewing this! I love it so much!**

 **Kay: You know, it takes me literally twenty minutes or something like that just to come up with a good title name and most of them are pretty stupid so . . . oh well!**

 **Fear the Fuzzy Bear: Aww.. but torture and triggers are the most interesting things! JK, there actually pretty gruesome . . .just look at the next chapter! Hehehehe . . . seriously it's going to be pretty bad!**

 **Beatnix: I apologize for those heart strings. I'll do my best to retie those for you!**

 **sparklydog9: Defibrillators ready! CLEAR! Stay alive, we still have a long way to go! Stay with me, soldier!**

 **: Yeah I keep for getting to add a warning to the very beginning of the story. WARNING: NOT SUITABLE TO READ IN CLASS ~ contains laugh out loud humor.**

 **Minxiboo: Don't worry, chapter 22 will have you throwing up! just kidding, it won't be that bad . . . . I don't think?**

 **Tsukiko K: Ahhh! I know! I'm sorry! THe G.I.W is full of heartless scumbags that don't deserve to walk the face of the earth . . . . that's why it's so fun to write them! Hehehe. I love Danny, too. Which makes all this torture so hard (fun) to write.**

 **YouCanOnlyPretend: I'll bring the plates and napkins!**

 **Bellmitch Kritznovah: Yeah, helplessness is a horrible feeling (Just ask Eliza Hamilton!) And thanks! It took a while to think of a good password.**

 **6BlueSweaters: Yeah, I really miss him. On the bright side, I have three new kittens keeping me company. They're a handful.**

 **Spider-Bat: Yeah, I really hate cars at the moment. And sorry, tortured Danny is best Danny. Don't worry, I'm sure it won't be that bad . . . . I'm a horrible liar.**

 **thatonestranger: Piss Waffles are awesome. They're definitely becoming like a signature.**

 **Zatannagurl: Yeah, my poor little baby was squished. But my new kitten triplets are a handful so they keep me entertained nowadays. Yeah, Vlad is at the top of the list of Most Creepy People In TV.**


	22. Chapter 22: Subject 54623

**Chapter 22: Subject #54623**

There are some things in life that people will never understand until they experience it for themselves, like losing a loved one, the pride of being a parent, utter depression, being in situations you can't escape, fear of death, not fitting in, etc.

Surprisingly, Danny could safely say he's experienced more than one of these examples. But there are certain things that _no_ person on Earth should ever have to experience, say . . . being strapped to an examination table as rogue government agents plan on what to do with you.

Unfortunately for Danny, this is also another example he's had experience in. But it did little to curb his fear.

The familiar irritation of sharp metallic cuffs rubbing his wrists raw merely reminded the teen of just how much trouble he was in as he continued to fruitlessly yank on said restraints. Just as they had six years ago, the cuffs refused to give way.

And just like six years ago, the harsh lights overhead only made his heart beat faster as scientists in long white coats milled around him. At the moment, they didn't even look at him. They merely swapped files and traded tools, but they never approached him. It was almost as if they were waiting for some unspoken signal that would allow them to leap onto their specimen and tear him to pieces.

Unbeknownst to Danny, higher up behind the observation room windows, the head scientists continued to argue with each other back and forth.

"We can't just start performing random tests, Q! Not while we need him alive."

"Well I'm not about to cut his head off or anything, R, but we need to know if his bodily conditions are stable enough to interact with the extracter. Right now, we know absolutely nothing!"

"What about the information we documented when we first captured him? That had s to tell us something? Or ws it just a waste of time?!"

"Those files are outdated six years, R! Who knows how much he's changed over the past few years. We need to know more about him. His bone density. His organ positioning and functionality. His blood circulations. His brain waves. Something!"

"Alright then, so how exactly do you plan on finding out this information, huh? Most of the machines we have only work on full fledged ghost. How the hell are we supposed to alter them to pick up combined human and spectral waves?"

"I-I . ."

 _"What the hell do you need machines for?"_

THe two scientists whipped around as the doors slid open, Fenton and Masters stalking inside. Fenton cast a glare down at the labs below and curled his lip at the specimen struggling in the restraints before turning back towards the confused scientists.

"Sir?" Agent Q asked.

"No really, I'm asking. What can those scans do that a plain old scalpel and microscope can't?" He asked once more.

Exchanging glances, the scientists both turned back towards the grey-suited man. "Are you saying we should . . ." Agent R started.

"I don't care what you have to do. Shock him, drown him, burn him, slash him, make him take the damn SATs, whatever! Find out everything you can about him." Jack growled before leaning in closer, grabbing the front of Q's suit. "And show _no_ mercy." He snarled in a low voice.

Q and R silently nodded before rushing out of the room. Jack watched for a moment before he felt a rough hand grab his shoulder and pull him closer. "What the hell, Jack? I thought we needed him alive?" Vlad growled out.

Jack wrenched his shoulder free as he moved over towards the observation window. "We aren't going to kill him. What did those agents use to keep him alive last time they had him?" He asked, turning back towards the other.

Vlad narrowed his eyes in thought before lifting his head. "I think the files said something about ectoplasmic dosages that helped keep him alive after extensive testing but-"

"Then that's what we'll use." Jack cut him off. "But this halfa freak deserves everything that's coming to him. Besides . . . we can always make _more._ " He grinned.

Back down in the labs, Danny watched as two new scientists entered the room, the others quieting down as they arrived. After a moment's hesitation, one of the men nodded his head. "Let's get to work!" He shouted, the others quickly rushing around the room once more.

Moving over towards the row of computers, monitors and machines that lines part of the back wall, Danny watched as the two agents kept their heads together as they spoke.

"First thing's first. We have to make sure he'll survive the extraction procedure, at least long enough to obtain enough energy." One agent stated, the other nodding as they moved over to one of the larger set of machines.

"How long does it last?" The other asked as he began to adjust the settings of certain dials and levers.

"I don't know. Depends on how strong the ghost is."

Reaching behind him, one agent pulled out and began skimming through a file, face scrunched up in thought. "Hmm . . . if these were his power levels six years ago, then we should probably crank up the simulator to full power."

 _Simulator? That doesn't sound fun._

"Yeah, make sure it lasts for a while, too." The other agreed.

At the snap of the agent's fingers, the other scientists in the room moved over to the back walls and strapped goggles onto their hands, leaning over monitors and computers that Danny bet had his vital signs and other information.

"Are we clear?" One agent asked.

 _No! We are not clear! We are very unclear! In fact, we are murky!_

 _"_ Alright. Simulation in progress."

Danny watched as the lights around the room instantly dimmed as a loud humming filled the air. He felt the hairs on his neck stand on end as the table began to vibrate uncomfortably. Slowly, the feeling switched from uncomfortable to painful as he felt his muscles begin to constrict.

Eventually he had to clamp his teeth to stop the scream from escaping his mouth as electrical pulses began to course through his body, spreading from his limbs to his core as they tried to rip him apart from the inside out. Finally he couldn't hold his screams back anymore as white hot flames shot through him, ripping at his muscles, splintering his bones, boiling his blood as he arched his back and withered in pain on the steel table.

He had experienced electrocution before, but nothing like this. Never like this. His eyes were squeezed so tightly, they were beginning to hurt. But that mild discomfort was nothing compared to the sharp pulses that threatened to shatter his bones and burn his skin as every cell in his body was ripped and assaulted.

Tears began to stream down his face as his vocal cords were rubbed raw. His body convulsed uncontrollably as the bright metal cuffs began to burn into his skin. He was vaguely aware of loud voices floating in the air but he couldn't process what they were saying or who was saying it. Where was he? Who was speaking?

Everything was muffled and blurry and he couldn't grasp anything mentally other than that the pain refused to stop. He tried desperately to draw in another breath, but his lungs wouldn't work. He couldn't do anything other than scream. Fires eventually burned out themselves, so why wasn't this one? Why wouldn't it stop? Why wouldn't it stop?!

Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime - his vocals now completely torn and shredded - the currents began to subside before coming to a stop. Danny gasped for air as his chest heaved and his body fell limp. His eyelids drooped as he dragged in as much oxygen as he possibly could. His body felt heavy and numb as he blearily fluttered open his eyes.

He watched as blurry outlines of people began to move around the room once more, white blobs fluttering around like specks of dust. He noticed they were beginning to speak, but the only sounds that reached his ears were garbled and indistinct, muffled and foggy.

After a moment, the ringing in his ears began to fade out, the voices taking its place.

"-proven he can at least withstand a bit. But this is only the beginning. Now that we have free range, we can basically do whatever we want!"

"Within reason, of course. We still need him alive."

"If even that. With how close we're starting to get with those human trials, we might not even need him anymore. Besides, we still haven't gotten him back for what he did. That little bastard was such an annoyance. And not just for me, everyone here thinks so too, even you."

". . . . "

"That's what I thought. Now, come on. We've got a long day ahead of us."

The pounding in his head made Danny shut his eyes again, but it didn't stop him from absorbing everything they had said.

 _Long day? Yeah, no kidding._

* * *

Wally couldn't really remember what his life had been like without his powers, though he could safely assume it was normal, boring and _slow_. Even working as a forensic scientist didn't compare with his life now.

 _Though he did realize one thing was certain._

He watched as the agents left the room quickly, leaving him alone once more as they walked behind the observation windows. In the room, there was what appeared to be a treadmill of sorts. Glancing down as a soft beep met his ears, out of the corner of his eye he watched as the small red button on his inhibitor collar turned green.

 _"We're going to measure your speed levels. Run on the machine as fast as you can."_

He narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms at the voice over the intercom. "Oh, yeah? And what if I don't feel like running?"

He received his answers as a loud _buzz_ filled the air and a horrible burning sensation raked his whole body as his collar shot out electrical pulses that brought him to his knees as he let out a startled scream.

The currents died down once more, leaving him panting hard on his hands and knees. "Okay, that happens.

 _His normal, boring, slow life had been a_ lot _safer._

Making his annoyance apparent to the agents (huffing loudly and sticking his tongue out at the mirror), the speedster reluctantly stepped onto the machine and began to run, his legs quickly becoming a blur as he tapped into his powers.

He had always loved running. Feeling the wind in his face, his feet moving so fast they seemed to be flying, the world blurring into nothing but colors and shapes, the calming silence that met his ears. Yet now, running merely for data sheets and statistics, underneath the harsh, cold lights . . . now it just seemed wrong.

After a few more minutes of running, he was told to stop. Wishing to avoid more _punishments_ , the speedster slowed before leaping off of the machine. He turned back towards the glass with a disgusted face behind his cowl. "Now what?" He growled out.

A few moments of silence passed before one of the far walls of the room lowered into the floor, revealing that the area actually extended farther out. From the floor sprouted metallic, knee-high machines that all took aim at him.

 _"Now, we test evasive maneuvers and endurance."_

 _Crap._

* * *

Her mother had always warned her that man was a primitive, manipulative, greedy thing. But she had never believed it. Of course, over the years she had begun to see what her mother had been talking about first-hand, with all the villains they fought on a daily basis, but she had always countered it with remembering all of the good men out there as well.

But this . . . this was something else entirely. These men . . . were exactly what her mother had warned about.

She watched with disgust behind the glass window as her bracelets and crown were poked and prodded at by swarming agents who still had no clue why the objects still hadn't broken yet. One raised up his hand, an electric scalpel firmly grasped in said hand as he reached out towards the bracelets.

The room exploded in light and the agents were all send careening into the far walls, Diana letting a small smile slip onto her face at the sight of her crown and bracelet still perfectly safe while the agents floundered on the ground.

They had been testing her armor for at least fifteen minutes now while keeping her in a room adjacent to their lab, and they still hadn't been able to find out anything. Oh they had tried, they'd even been reduced to flat out asking her why it wouldn't work.

She told them it had been created by the gods and that no mere mortal weapon was going to be able to penetrate it. They obviously weren't happy with her answer as it led to a harsh slap across the face that was more painful for the agent than Diana, seeing as it sprained two fingers.

 _Morons._

Still, the Amazonian couldn't feel too much joy at it considering their current predicaments. She knew Flash, Batman and Superman had been taken as well for tests, but what of the others. Had they been taken yet? And what of Danny? They hadn't heard anything of him in hours, though of course it could have been a day considering there was no way to tell time in their cells.

She let out a sigh and rested her head against the wall as she took a seat on the floor. From the sounds of the other room, they had finally brought in a chainsaw.

 _This is going to take a while._

* * *

He hated water.

Not so much so that he swore it off, mind you, but enough to warrant concern and a little hesitation at the sight of large bodies. Many would write this off as a preference, tick, or phobia, but Danny had a very good reason for hating water.

 _Experience._

Everything was dark.

His brain pounded against his skull as he banged his fists on the metal walls, but it was no use. The box itself was a little smaller than an outhouse and completely metallic safe for a small window that he couldn't even see out of, yet was sure people could see _in_. The hatch at the top opened and closed to allow for entry and exit.

It was closed.

He opened his mouth, but was only met with the acidic taste of chlorine assaulting his tongue. He could feel the pressure beginning to compress down on his chest, his lungs beginning to burn as they caught aflame.

Red and black spots were beginning to dance in front of his eyes, making him wonder whether his eyes were actually opened or closed as he fought to hold on to that last sack of air he had stored in his lungs, but even it was beginning to fade.

His throat seared in agony as it began to crave the sensation of oxygen traveling down into his lungs. He curled his fingers into fists as he tried pounding on the walls one last time, but just as before, his distress was ignored.

Finally, Danny couldn't take it anymore. He opened his mouth and sucked in a breath, only to inhale a large mouthful of chemically polluted water. The cold water was beginning to seep into his skin, freezing his bones as they became ice. Desperation turned to pure fear as he opened his mouth once more, but not to breath. To scream. If he could see, he was sure he would see a stream of bubbles swirling around him as his heart began to beat twice as fast, if not thrice.

He began to thrash against the walls, praying for a faulty container, a loose screw, a rusted plate. Something. But much like he was used to, his prayers were either missed, or ignored.

Slowly, his body began to go numb as the thrashing slowed. He reached out and pressed his fingers against the window as he closed his eyes, after all, it was just as dark with his eyes open as closed. The buzzing noises filling his ears began to fog up as consciousness slowly began to slip through his fingers and float all throughout his watery grave.

Suddenly, a bright stream of light flooded in from overhead as he vaguely felt hands grab onto his shoulders and hoist him up. Danny didn't remember being carried, only waking up on the ground as he coughed and hacked up mouthfuls of water after receiving a sharp kick to the gut.

Blearily blinking open his eyes, he shakily brushed the wet strands of hair out of his face as he stared up.

Jack leaned over him, a smirk plastered onto his face as he stared down at the teen as if he were nothing more than a wet rat. "Aww, did someone have a good swim?" He asked in a mocking tone as he delivered another kick to the teen's ribs.

Danny curled in on himself as he lay shivering on the floor, wondering whether the water he felt on his cheeks actually came from his confines. He was vaguely aware of the group of agents writing down data from the experiment.

As he listened, the boy picked up on what they were saying and let out a tired sigh. "You know, i-if you wa-wanted to know h-how long I can ho-hold my breath, a-all you had to-to do is ask."

That earned him a kick in the head. _Smart-ass._

They had already gone through a number of tests including fire resistance (which he didn't have), ice resistance (better), toxicity immunity (nope), acid immunity (nada), deoxygenation (nu-uh), gravitational variation (what?) and enhanced physical abilities, which was basically leaving him in a cage with four mutated ghosts and seeing who came out alive ( _super_. . .).

Yet through all that, the teen still had yet to realize that his _ass-itude_ wasn't going to get him anything other than a kick to the head, ribs and anywhere else he was exposed.

Across the room, Jack moved over to the head scientists once more. "What's next?" He growled out.

The two agents shared a look before turning back to the man. "Well, there's still a lot we don't know about his internal body structure that could be mandatory for the-"

"Then what are you waiting for, an invitation? Get the dissection room up and running." He shouted to three other agents.

"The dissection what now?" Danny croaked from the floor.

Jack glanced over at him before a smile slipped onto his face. Walking over, he grabbed the teen by the front of his shirt and pulled him up. "Oh come now, Danny. Haven't you ever taken a Biology course before? Everyone's always excited for Frog Day." He beamed before leaning closer. "Now _you_ get to be the frog."

The teen's eyes widened as he stared into his father's eyes. "N-no."

"Oh, yes. In fact, skip all the other experiments for today. Let's do this now." Jack shouted to the others, who each gave frantic nods.

He huffed in satisfaction before turning back to Danny, who was beginning to hyperventilate. "Well what do you say, Froggy? Want to give a little _ribbit_ for us?"

* * *

Safe to say, Batman was used to being in tough situations. Hell, it came with the job of putting on colorful (or devoid of color in his case) spandex and leaping from rooftops, raining down vigilante justice on psychos.

But to say this was a tough situation was an understatement.

He let out a groan of pain as he was blasted into the back wall, quickly springing back to his feet as he faced off against the machines once more. The blasters that had sprung up from the floor had been going at him for at least twenty minutes and the agents behind the glass panels still didn't seem to have enough.

Of course, he supposed it could be worse. He could be alone.

Superman grunted as he skidded across the floor, smoke still rising up from his chest. Latching onto the man's wrist, Batman practically dragged him behind one of the metal defenses the agents had been _so kind_ as to put up (after the fifteen minute marker).

Then again, having a powerless Kryptonian wasn't much help either, so . . .

The barrage of red blasts continued as the two pressed their backs against the barrier. Superman glanced up, only to duck down again as a blast barely missed his head.

"Guess this isn't so easy without bulletproof skin." The alien joked, cracking a small smile, one Batman did not return. "How the heck do you do it?"

Batman snuck a small glance out at the machines that continued to fire before replying. "I'm rich."

Without another word, he sprung out from the hiding spot, using the metal barrier as a springboard as he launched himself across the room, sliding across the floor as he grabbed a piece of metal that had been blasted off of one of the other defense shields.

Pressing his back against the other shield, he rolled across the floor and reared back the piece of metal. Hurling it through the air, it latched itself into one of the laser's barrel, the machine exploding a second afterwards.

The blast caused three more machines to explode, leaving only two left.

Narrowing his eyes, Batman tensed as the machines reloaded and took aim once more. Again, red beams whizzed through the air as he rushed forward. As he moved, the beams followed his movements, blasting the walls whenever they would miss their moving target.

As he watched the beams fly, Batman continued to run towards the two machines, which were side by side, apart for a five-foot gap in between. Putting on an extra burst of speed, the man rushed forward before sliding right underneath the machines.

As the barrels of the cannons followed him, they aimed right at each other, firing upon themselves until the two machines exploded in a bright burst of light and the scattering of sharp metallic bits.

As the dust settled, Batman took a moment to breath as Superman's eyes returned to their normal size. Walking over, the Kryptonian let out a chuckle as he elbowed the man in the side. "So . . . rich, huh?"

Batman scoffed and rolled his eyes at that before a voice cut in on the intercom overhead.

 _"Very impressive, I must say. Normally those machines are enough to take out at least five ghosts at the same time. I'm sure you're very proud."_

 _Definitely_ _Vlad._ Batman mused as he and Superman shared a look.

 _"Well you two just stay put and some agents will be along for you in a moment."_

Batman narrowed his eyes as he slowly began to pace back and forth in between the smoking machines. Superman watched with a concerned eye as he walked over, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'm sure he's alright, Bruce." He whispered.

The man turned towards him with a sharp glare. "These agents have been waiting for six years to get their hands on him again. You think they're not going to get revenge on all the times he's made fools of them?" He growled out, pressing his back into one of the far walls as he folded his arms over his chest.

Superman thought about it for a moment before he ran a hand through his hair and let out a sigh. Moving over towards Bruce, he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall next to him.

"You know, when we get out of here, I'm going to write such a scathing article about this place."

Batman cast him a glance before letting out a chuckle.

Superman eyed the man and smiled. If he could still get Batman to chuckle, then there was still hope in the world after all.

* * *

Danny felt his heart beating a million miles a minute as people moved around him. He knew they had to be agents, but all he could see were blurred shapes and random colors (mostly white). He jerked and struggled as he tried desperately to rip himself away from his restraints.

Despite the sluggishness and noticeable tiredness that made his body weigh twice its normal weight, the table creaked at the harsh movements as he continued. As he blinked open his eyes once more, the blurred shapes that came with his fear began to bleed into coherent structures as they took the forms of hustling agents.

White hair dipped into his face, making his eyes narrow in disgust. After twenty minutes of harsh knife slashes and shocks, they had been able to force him into his ghost form before promptly strapping him back into his favorite table.

Jack and Vlad stood off to the side as they watched the others prep the tables and tools. Upon noticing the harsh sound of the table, he turned to one of the agents. "Give him a mild sedative. He's struggling too much." He muttered.

"Of course I'm struggling! It's not like this is a normal thing for me, you psychos!" Danny snapped from the table.

One of the head surgeons let out a scoff as he turned towards Danny. "Please, would you drop the act, already? We know you can't feel any of this stuff. All your doing is implanting past memories onto this situation. You're not the first ghost to try that and they all eventually dropped the dramatics." He growled out.

Danny shook his head with wide eyes. "No . . . no you're wrong. You're wrong. Please!" His mind began to race as he whipped his head around the room, his eyes landing on his father standing stoic against the wall.

He knew. He knew Danny wasn't like that. That he could actually feel pain. He could tell them. He had to tell them. "Dad! Dad, please tell them! Tell them I'm not like that! Tell them I'm just like them! Please! Please help me!" He screamed out, green eyes shaking in terror as he stared at his father, begging for him to finally save him.

Jack narrowed his eyes and moved over to the table where his son was strapped down. With an expressionless face, he raised his hand and viciously slapped the teen across the face, Danny letting a small whimper slip out of his mouth as he tucked his head and began to shake. "Why the hell would I help you?" He spat out.

Vlad watched wordlessly with an amused face before a thoughtful expression fell onto his face. A moment passed before he moved over to the corner of the room and picked something off of the floor. It was small and rectangular, about the size of a . . .radio? what the heck did he need a radio for?

Nevertheless, the man placed it on the counter and pressed down on one of the buttons, music beginning to drift out of the small device. Rhapsody in Blue. He turned back to Danny with a grin. "George Gershwin is a brilliant man, Danny. Maybe he can take your mind off . . . _things."_ He chuckled.

Shooting the agents another look, Jack watched them quickly nod as they rushed over to the cart next to the table and began to ready a large syringe with a light green liquid. As Danny followed the agents' movements, his eyes fell upon the cart that sat next to his table.

His eyes widened as he made out an array of different sized scalpels and needles, along with scissors, tweezers, and other things any right-minded adult wouldn't let a child near. He narrowed his eyes at the agent as they approached, throwing himself against his restraints as he tried to wiggle out of their grasp.

One large agent placed his arm across Danny's chest and another at his neck as he made him go still, the teen's mind buzzing as he watched one woman inject the liquid into his arm. Pulling back, the agents moved back over to Jack and Vlad as they began to discuss the procedure, but Danny had stopped listening.

Danny knew he should have been panicking, he should have been struggling, he should have been doing something. But for some reason he couldn't really wrap his mind around anything for more than a few seconds before it slipped out of his grasp again.

The tranquilizer began to seep through his bloodstream as he felt a thick fog form around himself.

 _"-ink he's ready"_

He blearily opened his eyes and slowly turned his head to the side. The harsh lights overhead now seemed even brighter as colors began to bleed into each other. Around him, different voices could be heard, but they sounded distant and far away, almost as if they were underwater. Surprisingly, the music was the only think Danny could hear clearly. Every note. Every beat.

He remembered this song. He and Jazz had used to watch all sorts of Disney movies when they were little and their mother had loved watching Fantasia 2000. The music always seemed to relax her, which made the kids even happier as they watched the bright colors and funny cartoons. He had liked this song.

But that memory slowly seeped out of his mind as the fogginess continued to make his vision hazy and his hearing muggy. Sluggishly tilting his head once more, he tried twisting his body against the restraints as he tried to grasp hold of what was happening, only to feel someone harshly slam his head back down.

His head hit the steel table with a bang, making him blink in confusion as everything seemed to move in slow motion for a moment before returning to normal. The sound of cutting met his ears as he felt something pulled away from his body and pinned to the table. His suit?

The music continued to play soothingly, sweeping through the air as it made everything else fade into nothingness.

Telling himself to concentrate on the music, the teen fought to do so, even though the thought held no meaning anymore. He listened to every drum beat, every flute whistle, every saxophone blare as the rhythm slowly began to calm him down.

His eyes snapped open as pain suddenly exploded _everywhere_.

Stifling back a gasp, the teen clenched his fists and squeezed his eyes tightly. The sudden pain made his body jerk as he was viciously yanked from the foggy calm and dropped right into a cluster of loud noises and creaking tables. He opened his mouth to scream, but found that no noise would come out.

The mugginess around his ears shattered and he was acutely aware of every single noise. The sound of metal clattering on tables, the snap of surgical gloves, the tearing and ripping of. . . _something_.

Through the haze, he finally got a grip on where the main source of pain had originated. On his chest - right above his ribs - something cold and sharp was digging into his skin, slicing down slowly and precisely. He felt something oozing from the source of the pain, something warm that dripped down his skin and began to pool underneath him on the cold table.

The sticky liquid clung to his sides uncomfortably as he vaguely felt the sensation of skin being pulled away and the sharp stab of pain as bones were cracked. Cause who needs ribs anyway, really? He squeezed his eyes tightly and turned his head to the side as he felt a sob tear its way out of his throat. The urge to scream was so strong, yet the sound refused to escape from his lips.

A fresh wave of nausea hit him as a strong stench filled the air. His nails scraped against the table at the feeling of hands poking and prodding inside him. He could vaguely make out the foggy noise of people murmuring around the room. But most of their excited garble was drowned out by the music as it continued to swirl around his head.

He felt his tug on the restraints begin to weaken slightly as his head lolled to the side. Black and red spots began to dance in front of his eyes as he opened and closed his mouth like a dying fish, which was not to far off from the actual reality of the situation.

Someone must have noticed his sudden shift in energy because one particularly louder murmur quieted down all the others. The clatter of something being picked off a metal surface was heard followed by the faint sound of swishing liquids.

Suddenly, Danny vaguely felt a prick on his arm. He slowly tilted his head downward, only for his eyes to widen in shock as they began to glow a violent green. He grit his teeth and groaned as his veins turned a bright green before they settled and returned to their normal color.

His chest heaved as he fought to remain calm (which is kind of difficult when you're being gutted), watching out of the corner of his eye as one agents put down an empty syringe that was still dripping a strange glowing green liquid.

Whatever it was, it bought those agents a little more time to play with him as he turned his head away from the sight once again, knowing if he stole a glance it would be the last thing he ever did.

The sickening realization of what was actually happening hit him straight in the gut as he fought to choke the bile back down. He felt tears slipping down his cheeks as time seemed to stop. The world froze in place, leaving him to eternal damnation, it felt like. Any passing time was consumed by extreme agony as the pain slashed and clawed its way throughout his entire body. Never-ending. Never stopping.

Memories of six years ago began to flash across his mind. He had buried said memories so far deep, he didn't even realize they existed anymore. Safe to say, the experience had left a mark on the seven-year old, but it hadn't been like this. Nothing was like this. The thought of " _t_ _hey're doing this just because they_ _can_ " planted itself into Danny's mind as he choked on another sob. What was the point of running, of fighting, of doing anything if it was just going to lead to this.

The tears continued to roll down his face as his body began to shudder. Another stab of pain rocketed through his body, causing a gasp to force its way out of Danny's throat as his eyes widened and he jerked upward.

The music continued to play peacefully. As if there weren't a horrible, gruesome event going on just a few paces away. As if everything were fine. He clenched his fists and squeezed his eyes tighter. Why wouldn't it stop? Why wouldn't it help him? Why wouldn't it make everything better like it did when he was four? _Why was this happening!?_

He choked on another cry as another shot of pain cut through him. He couldn't do it anymore. This was already over his limits. They had already pushed him over the edge six years ago. Now they were back to finish the job. He just wanted it to end. One final slash. One final stab. Just make it stop because . . . because nothing was worth this.

Finally, after who knows how long, he felt empty air hitting his chest instead of cold metal and latex gloves. He tired sucking a breath, but nothing seemed to be working at the moment. A bead of sweat trickled down his face as he tilted his head with the last bit of energy he had.

Opening his eyes, he watched as Jack bent down so that he was eye level with the kid, his face one of malice and mockery. "Wasn't that fun, Danny-boy? Maybe next time we can try amputations." He grinned, pressing his hand into the teen's chest.

Danny let out a strangled cry as he clenched his eyes shut. Jack barked out a laugh before getting up and wiping his hands on one of the nearby towels. Danny pulled in a shuddering breath as he noticed more people moving around him but he didn't really care anymore.

Shutting his eyes, he let his head his the table as he unclenched his fists and let his muscles relax. The last thing he felt before passing out was the sensation of pulled skin and the thin prick of a needle moving in and out. As he drifted away, one stray thought rang in his ears before floating out.

 _Batman . . . . . please help me._

* * *

 ** _IT'S FROM JAPPPPPPAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNN!_**

 **I love this musical so much. Comment if you know which one its from and you'll get a special shoutout in the next chapter! :D**

 **I have nothing to say about this chapter. I warned all you guys.**

 **Thanks to these people for favoriting and/or following: _Sora Rider X, Hissatsu Koroshiya, The Whispering Sage; alexiusdevries1, xAlreadyOverx, djett4, xtina129_**

 **Reviews:**

 **Naluforever3: If there's one thing I'm good at, it's making people feel hate!**

 **Kimera20: I know! I know! I know! I know! I know! I know! I know! I know! I know! I know! I know!**

 **Mr Bata: Well they're certainly not . . . _going up!_ I'll leave now.**

 **Fear the Fuzzy Bear: Ehh I wouldn't be too worried about it. After all, I have been known to cook up some pretty delicious plot sequences now and then so . . .**

 **ChaoticMinds: Don't worry, I'm sure there number will come up eventually. But I'll try and speed up the process. NUMBER 54! HUrry up! We have some hungry readers out there who aren't too keen on waiting!**

 **Darkverger1: " _This situation is looking pretty hopeless." . . . . . . ._ I'ma gonna' do it! _~I was hopeless! Hopeless! I was helpless. Helpless! Every time I'd walk the hallways I would trip! I was stagnant and idle. I was so suicidal! And then, then, then, then, then, then, then, then, then, then, then then . . . I GOT A SQUIP!  
_**

 **. . . .I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me.**

 **The Whispering Sage: Thank you! It's a lot of work but it's totally worth it. In fact, I have to walk it at least three times a day or he gets cranky!**

 **Well anyways people, stay tuned for the next chapter. Hopefully it won't be too bad, but it really depends on my mood. Hehehehe . . . .**

 **~ _No longer a drip when you've gotten your grip! A squip! A squip!_**

 ** _A SQUIIIIIPPPPPPPPPPPPP!~_**


	23. Author's Note

**Greetings, Humans!**

 **Alright, first thing's first . . . I'M NOT DEAD! Hoorayyyyy...**

 **I deeply apologize for the long hiatus with this story, but to tell the truth, my schedule has been swamped lately. With all the classes I'm taking and the workload I am bringing home on a daily basis, I'm lucky to even touch my laptop for recreational use anymore. So when I did, I kind of wanted to refresh and give my mind some free space to roam around and explore, you know what I mean? No, you probably don't, and that's cool. Just try to understand that I just needed to take a little break and relax. I am only fifteen after all, though sometimes even _I_ forget that. XD **

**That doesn't mean I'm ready to give up on this story though. I realize that this is my most popular story and it isn't even finished! Are you kidding me? Thank you all so much for sticking with this piece of crap for so long! I cannot even begin to express to you how much this all means to me.**

 **With that said, I am back on the ball. But despite what some might believe, it isn't really easy to leap right back onto a story, especially when you've been off and branching out into different stories as well. So, to get myself back into the rhythm of this story, I'm going to be doing a REWRITE!  
**

 **Now before you blow up my PM board, let me clarify something. This rewrite WILL NOT chance the plot of the story! But my writing style had developed and evolved greatly, and since this is my most viewed story, I really want to give you all some of my best work. After all, you _Sunrays_ deserve the very best and nothing less!**

 **Therefore, this rewrite will mostly just organize the same information but in a different format. Also, I might add a few filler chapters that aren't mandatory to the plot, but do help with the pacing and characterization/development.**

 **So, if you all can just be patient for a little while longer, I promise I will get around to the ending eventually. I haven't given up! If you guys have any questions or whatnot, don't hesitate to comment or PM me. I'll be happy to answer whatever you guys need to know.**

 **(P.S.~IF THE TITLE OF A CHAPTER IS UNDERLINED _,_ THAT MEANS IT'S ALREADY BEEN REVISED. ANY TITLES WITH PLAIN BOLD ARE OLD CHAPTERS)**


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